The Air I Breathe
by Morbidmuch
Summary: When Bella met handsome stranger Edward, she had no idea who she was dealing with. AU / AH
1. Chapter 1

A/N; Okay dokay, so this is my new story and lastest project. It's a bit different from my usual work, but I hope you'll all like it. Links to Bella's and Alice's clothes are up on my profile.

Disclaimer: I Don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 1**

"Why can't we just stay in and watch a movie?" I complained as Alice twirled another piece of my hair around the curling iron.

"Because," she answered happily, "it's your last night here, we **need **to go out."

I sighed. I had known Alice for three years, since I was 15, and she was my best friend. I loved the girl to death, but I really hated when she decided to play Bella Barbie with me.

"There, all done. Now get dressed so we can leave."

"Stupid pixie," I muttered as I slipped off my bathrobe and took the dress down from the hanger. She had forced me into a blue lacy underwear set by simply cutting my old underwear to shreds. The dress she was forcing me into was a lighter blue than my underwear, almost a cobalt colour. It was a satin number, short and strapless with a sweetheart neckline. With the dress she had ordered me into a pair of dark grey wedge heels, the only kind of heels I could walk in without falling and breaking something.

"Bella, you looking amazing!" I turned around and saw Alice standing there, looking fabulous as always in a black dress and pink high heels.

"Thanks. You look good too. Are you ready to go?"

Alice nodded and I grabbed my purse before we left, taking a cab downtown. The club, called Twilight, was packed with people all around the block when we came there.

"There's no way we're getting inside," I told Alice as I eyed the line of people. When she didn't answer I looked over at her, and got scared by the look on her face. "Alice?"

"Follow me Bella." She grabbed my hand and dragged me past the line of people and straight to the door. When there, she flashed the bouncer a pearly white smile. To my utter surprise he let us past, and Alice had to drag me into the club. She maybe short, but she's scary. The inside of the club was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. It was packed with people, both by the bar and the dancefloor. Alice led me over to the bar, and waved the bartender over.

He leered at Alice, and was not so bluntly checking out her boobs. "What can I get you beautiful ladies?" His voice was dripping with suggestion, but Alice paid no mind to it.

"Two vodka shots." She handed him the money, we got our drinks, and made our way to an empty table. We sat down, and Alice raised her glass. "To senior year."

I raised mine. "To new beginnings." I downed the shot, wincing at the taste of it. Once it was down though, it created a warm feeling deep in my stomach.

"Let's dance!" Alice's eyes lit up, but I shook my head.

"I'm way too sober to dance," I protested. "I'll go get us more shots." The funny thing about me is that when I'm sober I can't walk across a flat surface without tripping, but when I'm drunk my balance is pretty normal.

I made my way up to the bar, and ordered two more shots. As I waited, my attention was drawn to a guy standing next to me. His skin was pale, paler than mine and I felt my heartbeat speed up as I raked my eyes up his body. He was dressed in black jeans and a blue button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his muscular forearms. Then my gaze shifted to his face. He had high cheekbones, a strong jawline, a straight nose, and full lips. His hair was long and messy, and an unusual bronze colour. His eyes, which now had found mine were emerald green. He grinned, crookedly.

"Hi," he said, his voice velvety, "I'm Edward." He stuck out his hand, and I shook it. The moment our hands met, an electric current went through my body, and I almost gasped. A look in his eyes told me that he had felt it too.

"I'm Bella. It's nice to meet you." I pulled my hand back, and dried of my suddenly sweaty palm on my skirt. A tap on the bar made me realize that my drinks had arrived, and I grabbed them. I managed to give Edward a smile. "I guess I'll see you around."

He nodded, his eyes still locked with mine until I turned around. I walked back to our table painfully aware of his eyes following me. I set one of the shots down in front of Alice and downed the other, causing the room to spin a bit.

"Now let's dance."

Alice did her shoot too and then stood up, not wobbling even slightly. She really held her liquor well for someone so tiny. We went out on the dancefloor, and I started to move my hips in time with the music. My eyes shifted closed and my arms rose up above me, swaying slightly. I opened my eyes, and met Edward's green ones from across the room. The magnetic pull was still there, and I found myself dancing for him. The alcohol made me brave, and I raised my hand to beckon him over. He pushed himself off the stool he was sitting on, and walked slowly towards the dancefloor, looking like a predator stalking his prey. When he reached me I was overcome with the feeling of wanting him close to me, so I hooked my fingers through the belt loops on his pants and pulled him towards me.

Edward set his hands low on my hips and spun me around, crushing my back against his hard chest. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, and a small moan left my mouth. This seemed to encourage him further, because he gripped my hips a bit harder and grinded his obvious erection into my backside. My hand wandered up to around his neck, and gripped his hair. My other hand was resting on top of his on my hip, and I could feel his fingers twitch underneath my touch. The alcohol, his hot breath in my ear and the close proximity of his body made me more turned on than ever, and I pushed back into his erection, causing him to let out a groan against my neck. I closed my eyes and focused on nothing else but Edward's body against mine. When he started to place kisses on my neck I let out a small whimper and clutched his hair tighter.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he panted, sounding as turned on as I felt. I nodded and opened my eyes. There was some small voice in the back of my head that told me that I was making a mistake, but the horny Bella didn't listen. My eyes connected with Alice's, who gave me a knowing smirk.

Grabbing Edward's hand in my own I lead him towards the exit of the club. Once we were outside he spun me around and pushed me up against the brick wall before crushing his mouth against mine. I gasped in surprise, and he took the opportunity to push his tongue into my mouth. I moaned at the feeling and fisted my hands into his shirt, pulling him closer.

"Your place of mine?" he panted when we broke apart.

"Yours," I panted back, and he gave me a hard kiss before leading me in the opposite direction of where Alice and I came from. He said he lived nearby, but the 10 minutes walk was made longer since we couldn't keep our hands off each other.

The apartment building he lived in looked nice, from what I could see between kisses. The elevator had just arrived when we got there, and an elderly couple walked in before us. We followed them, and Edward pressed button number 9. The doors closed, and I gasped in surprise when I felt Edward's hand trailing along the back of my thigh. My underwear was pretty much soaked when we arrived at the right floor, and I was pulled to apartment number 95. Edward opened the door quickly, and shoved me up against it once it was closed again. His kisses made my knees weak, so I lifted my leg up around his hips. He got my point, and helped me to wrap both legs around him. He was pressed so tightly against me that I could clearly feel his erection, and my moans were embarrassingly loud. His mouth left mine and travelled down to my neck, kissing and biting lightly.

"Bedroom. Now." I commanded in the middle of a moan, and he started to walk. My hands twisted in his hair, and I planed kisses along his neck, sucking and biting the skin occasionally.

Once we were in his bedroom he set me down, and I kicked off my shoes before fastening my mouth on his. Somehow Edward managed to get the zipper on my dress down, and I broke off the kiss to tug it over my head before throwing it down on the floor. He took a step back and looked at my body, making me blush despite my drunken confidence.

"You're beautiful."

I smirked. "And you're overdressed." My fingers reached for the buttons on his shirt, but they were much too small for my drunken fingers, so I ripped it instead. I peeled the shirt off his body and threw it in the direction of my dress before letting my eyes roam over his body. He was perfect, with smooth marble like pale skin, and muscles that ripped under his skin as he reached out his arms towards me. I started to place kisses up and down his chest, as high as I could reach. He seemed much taller now that I didn't have my heels on, and the top of my head only reached his chin.

My hands followed my mouth on his chest, and I could feel the muscles in his lower abdomen twitch as I ran my fingers over them. My hands found the button on his jeans, and I popped it open before pulling down the zipper and pushing his pants down. He stepped out of them and pushed me back against the bed. I don't know how, but somehow I ended up on my back with him lying between my open legs. He licked my neck in one stroke, and a moan left my lips. I tried to reach down to touch him, but there wasn't enough room.

"You're so beautiful Bella," he murmured, his nose nuzzling my collarbone.

"Touch me," I whimpered, trying to coax him where I wanted him. He gently kissed and nibbled down my collarbone and to my lace covered breasts. Without any warning he wrapped his lips around my taunt nipple and sucked hard. My back arched, and he took the opportunity to unhook my bra, which soon joined my dress on the floor. The feelings I got when he touched me were indescribable, and I could only make whimpering sounds as his mouth suckled on my breasts. He bit down on my nipple, and a small scream left my throat.

"I need you inside me, now!" I tugged on his hair, and he lifted his head, his eyes almost black with lust. His hands gripped the sides of my panties and ripped them off my body. I reached down between us and gripped him beneath his boxers, causing him to groan and push his hips into my hand. Pushing my hands away, he pulled off his boxers, and then trailed his erection up and down my slit, coating himself in my juices.

Without any warning he sheathed himself fully inside me, and I cried out in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Not wanting to wait another second, I pulled him as close to me as I could and urged him to start moving. When he did it sent a powerful feeling of pleasure through my body. Moaning, I wrapped my legs around his hips and pushed my heels into his backside to urge him deeper into me.

"Harder," I cried out, arching my back.

Edward growled and grabbed the back of my knees, pushing them up towards my chest. This position caused him to slide in deeper, and I bit my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood at the pleasure. He thrust into me with wild abandon, and I could hear the rhythmic thumping of the headboard against the wall. I could feel myself start to get closer towards my release, and told him this, stuttering and out of breath. Pressing his lips against mine in a hard kiss, Edward reached down and stroked my swollen clit. My back arched as I exploded into pleasure, his mouth swallowing the scream that tore from my throat. As I came down from my high, I felt him thrust into me hard two more times before emptying himself inside of me. I let my feet down to touch the bed again, and Edward thrust shallowly into me a few times before pulling out and lying down next to me. My eyelids were already dropping, and I felt him reach down and pull the cover over us before I fell asleep.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Since I was done with this chapter, I thought I'd update again tonight. This won't be a normal thing though, I'm only going to be able to update about two or three times a week, depending a bit on RL. I hope you'll like this chapter =) I have to warn you though, Edward won't be making an appearance until chapter 4 or 5, in case you were wondering.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything. I do own the books, the movie and Catherine Hardwicke's director's book, does that count?**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 2**

I awoke early the next morning with a headache that threatened to split my head into two pieces. I groaned and and sat up, looking around in confusion, not recognizing where I was. I looked down to my left, and was met with the sight of a sleeping Edward. Yesterday came rushing back to me, and terror filled my eyes. I shifted, and felt a a soreness between my legs that could only mean one thing; last night I had lost my virginity to a complete stranger. Mortified by my drunken behaviour I slipped out of bed and hastily pulled on my dress, stuffing my bra and ruined panties in my handbag before collecting my shoes in one hand and leaving the apartment.

As I fished up my cellphone to call for a cab I noticed that I had 3 missed calls from Alice. A look at the time told me it was only 5 in the morning, so I decided against calling Alice. She would be sleeping anyway. The cab arrived quickly, and I stepped in before giving the cab driver Alice's address. My headache only seemed to be getting worse, and I closed my eyes to try to block out the lights. I also made sure to keep my knees together, since I wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Hey lady, we're here,"

I opened my eyes and looked at the cabdriver. He was eyeing my bare legs with a bit too much interest for my taste, and I suppressed a shudder. Silently I opened my purse and took out two wrinkly 20 dollar bills. I handed them to him, making sure not to touch his skin. "Keep the change," I said, my voice cracking, before I stepped out of the cab and went into Alice's apartment building. I was glad that I'd gotten a spare key, otherwise I'd have to camp out in the hallway until Alice woke up. Letting myself in, I dropped my shoes and purse on the coffee table and snook to the guest bedroom where I was staying. Not bothering with anything, I slipped off my dress and pulled an oversized t-shirt over a new pair of underwear. I curled up in a ball underneath the covers, and soon I fell asleep.

--

"You totally had sex last night!"

I opened an eye tiredly and instantly regretted the action when the sunlight made my headache worse. "Go Away," I muttered.

"I have some aspirin in exchange of naughty details."

This got my attention, and I sat up slowly, opening my eyes. Alice was sitting by the foot of the bed, not looking hungover in the least. I accepted the aspirin and glass of water from her hand and chucked it all down.

"Okay, I need details. Apart from your runny make up, giant hickey on your neck and obvious sex hair."

I sighed, and pulled a hand through my hair. "I met the guy, Edward, at the bar. We flirted, danced, made out, had sex, and then I came back here."

Alice made a sound of annoyance. "I need more details than that!" Damn, she was determined.

"I really don't want to talk about it." I laid back against my pillows and closed my eyes. I felt the bed shift next to me; Alice had lain down next to me.

"Why not?"

"Because last night I had a drunken one night stand and let a guy I don't even know take my virginity."

Alice gasped, and I looked at her. Her big blue eyes were wide, and a bit glazed over. "Didn't you and James," she said the name with disgust, "ever have sex?"

I shook my head, wincing a bit at the mention of my ex. "No, we didn't."

"Bella, you can't know how sorry I am. If I'd known you were a virgin I never would have let you leave with that guy. Your first time should be something magical, a special moment between you and the guy you love."

"It's okay Alice, honestly. It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway." Alice still looked like she was going to cry, so I gave her a one armed hug. "Let's go out for breakfast, I'm starving."

Alice's eyes lit up. "I know a really cool diner around the corner that serves the best hangover food ever."

We got up, and Alice left so that I could make myself ready. Ignoring my growling stomach, I jumped into the shower. It felt wonderful to wash away all the traces of last night, including my ruined make up. When I came out from the bathroom, Alice had lain out clothes for me to wear. God forbid that someone wore sweatpants around her. Alice's Philosophy was that you should always look your best, no matter how you were feeling. I put on the clothes, which consisted of a pair of jeans and a black long sleeved sweater before attempting to brush out my hair. It took a while, but I managed to get it somewhat presentable looking.

After pulling on my worn out Chuck Taylor's, I grabbed a jacket and followed Alice to the diner. The weather was really nice outside, a bit windy but still sunny and warm. When we entered the diner, a small bell over the door signaled our arrival. We found a cozy table in the back, and took out seats.

A waitress came up to us to take our order. She was in her early fifties, I presumed from the grey hairs that was starting to come through her red hair. She had a friendly smile on her face.

"I'll have French toast and a cup of green tea, please," Alice smiled, and the waitress scribbled it down before looking to me.

"I'll have the house waffles, and a black coffee and a glass of orange juice, please." I tried to smile, even though it probably looked more like a grimace.

"Okay. Your food and drinks will be out shortly." She left, and Alice let her eyes linger from the retreating waitress to me. I knew I was in trouble when a smirk appeared on her face.

"So, how was it?"

"Alice!" I gasped, looking around to make sure no one had heard us. Luckily, the diner was almost empty.

"What? I'm curious how you thought it was."

I blushed. "Honestly, I can't remember much. I remember dancing with Edward at the club, and some vague memory of the number 95, but that's it."

Alice gave me a sympathetic look. "That sucks. But I have to agree, he really was a looker,"

I laughed softly. "Yeah, I know." I wasn't able to say anything else before our food arrived. The smell of it made my stomach rumble, and both Alice and I chuckled. Spreading a generous amount of whipped cream and jelly on my waffles, I started to eat, almost groaning with how good the food tasted.

"You were right, this **is **the best hangover food ever," I said, still chewing on my waffle.

"I'm always right," Alice smirked. Her smirk soon turned to a frown though, and then a panicked face.

"What?" I asked, worried about her sudden attitude change.

"Don't look, but I think the guy from last night just walked in."

My body froze, and I stared at Alice with wide eyes. "Has he seen me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't think so. It looks like he's just standing there." She paused for a few seconds. "He's leaving."

I whipped my head around, and saw his retreating back, his bronze hair blowing around in the wind as he walked down the street.

"It is a shame though," Alice said, her eyes also following Edward. "He's a real hottie."

I agreed, and turned back to finish my breakfast.

--

It was night time by the time I pulled up in front of the house that had become my home in the past two months. I shut off the engine on my Mercedes Guardian, the car I'd gotten as an early birthday present when my old Chevy truck died at the beginning of the summer. I pulled my bag out of the trunk and made my way up to the front door. I stepped inside, and was immediately met with a hug.

"Bella, I thought I heard your car in the driveway! I've missed you." I returned Esme's hug tightly.

"I missed you too Esme. I'm sorry I'm late, but Alice and I didn't really want to part."

Esme smiled, her hazel eyes glittering in the light. "I can understand that. Come on, let's go and get you something to eat, you must be starving."

We walked to the kitchen, and I sat down by the kitchen island as she started to roam through the kitchen. Esme had been the closest thing I'd had as a mother since I was 10, when my own mother died. My father had died only a month prior to the day I found my mother dead in the bathtub with her wrists slit.

"How was Alice?" Esme asked, drawing me out from my memories.

"She was fine, as usual. I invited her to spent Thanksgiving here since Jasper's going down to Texas. I hope that's okay?"

"Off course it is," she smiled again as she studied my face. "Have you been sleeping well? You look tired."

No, not tired. Hungover. "It's just been some late nights. You know Alice,"

Esme laughed. "I sure due. I swear, I don't know how her parents put up with her as a child with that energy."

I still couldn't believe how incredibly lucky I was to have Esme as a mother. It was a wonder she wanted to adopt a child in the first place. I knew though that it had been after her newborn baby died that Esme decided to try to adopt a child in need. I had been fostered by Esme a month after my mother's death, and she had legally adopted me two years after that. On top of being a great mother, Esme was also very beautiful, and there had been a fair share of guys throughout the years who had tried to get close to me to get to her. With her slender form, big hazel eyes and long caramel hair she didn't look a day over 30, even though she was 35.

"Bella, you're home. How was Seattle?"

I turned around to see Carlisle coming into the kitchen, a smile on his face. Esme and Carlisle had been dating for a year, and was getting married at Christmas. Carlisle had two adoptive sons, called Emmett and Edward. Emmett was a Sophomore at Seattle University, majoring in Engineering. He was the only one of the two brothers I had met. Edward was 26, and lived in Chicago where he worked as a music teacher.

"Seattle was great. I'd missed Alice alot, so it was nice to see her again," I answered Carlisle, leaning in to him as he gave me a one armed hug.

"You remembered to invite her for Thanksgiving, right?"

I nodded and smiled at him. Ever since Esme started to date him, she had been happier than normal. And a happy Esme equaled a happy Bella. Carlisle worked as a doctor at Forks Hospital, and it was there that he and Esme had met. It had been during one of my many misfortunes resulting in a broken arm on my part and a date on Esme's part. Carlisle was very good looking, with pale blonde hair and kind blue eyes that always seemed to be smiling.

"Okay honey, here's your food," Esme said, placing a plate with some roasted chicken, rice and salad in front of me. I was so hungry I gulped it down before washing it down with a glass of milk. As I put the glass down, I couldn't help the huge yawn that escaped my mouth.

"You should sleep, it's late. I already carried up your bag."

"Thanks Carlisle," I smiled before standing up and hugging them both. "Goodnight."

"Night Bella,"

"Goodnight sweetie,"

With tired steps I walked up the stairs to my room on the third floor. The house was spectacular, with large open spaces and a the south wall that was made entirely out of glass. My room was pretty big, with a queen sized bed on one wall, and one wall just consisting of my books and CD's. By request, my bedroom lay on the other side of the house from Esme's and Carlisle's room. I had the habit of playing very loud music, and thought it be easier for them. Also, once in our old house I had heard mysterious noises in the middle of the night when Carlisle was spending the night. Now, I loved Carlisle and Emse like htey were my own parents, but I did **not **want to hear them getting it on.

My suitcase was standing just inside the door, but I decided to unpack tomorrow. I changed into sleep attire and then curled up on my bed, and it didn't take me long to fall asleep.

I dreamt about many strange things that night, including getting chased through the streets of Seattle by a giant calculator that was screaming 'the answer is 95!' after me. I woke up by someone knocking on my door, and I groaned.

Ugh, Monday.

"Bella, it's time to get up," came Esme's voice through the door. "I'll get your breakfast ready."

"I'll be right there," I called back, sitting up in bed. Many things you can say about me, but that I'm a morning person is **not** one of them.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Update, yay =) Links to Bella's outfit later on in the chapter is available on my profile, just so you know. Also, brownie points to the person who can first guess which song I got the title to this story from. Next chapter we'll get a visit from an old friend *winkwink***

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 3**

Despite of that night three weeks ago, life continued on normally. The weather still sucked, my hair was still a boring brown, and Mike was as big of a pain in the ass as usual. In late October it started to get even colder outside, and Carlisle put on some snow chains on my truck. Off course, that didn't stop me from tripping on my way **to **my car and spraining my wrist.

"Hey Bella, are you coming to the Halloween party at Jessica's tomorrow?" Mike asked me on Friday morning, and I shrugged.

"I don't think so. I don't have a costume, and I don't feel like going." I turned my attention back to the Trig problem in front of me. But Mike was persistent.

"Come on, it's our last Halloween as high schoolers."

"I said no, Mike," I snapped. He was really starting to get on my nerves. He gave me a hurtful look, like a kicked puppy, and continued on with his work. I sighed, and gathered my books when the bell rang. My next period was lunch, and I walked with heavy steps towards the cafeteria. It was full as usual, and I checked out the different tables while I waited in the line. How stereotypical Forks High was. There was the cheerleaders, the jocks, the emos and the geeks. My clan of friends had a bit of everything. Mike and Tyler, the jocks; Jessica and Lauren, the cheerleaders; Eric, Ben and Angela, the geeks. Then there was me. I suppose I fit into the outcasts group, consisting only of me.

"Can you hurry up?" came an annoyed voice from behind me, and I realized that while I was daydreaming, the line had moved forwards. I blushed and went up to grab some food. The cafeteria food seemed even more disgusting than usual, so I decided a safe choice in a pizza slize and an apple. I went to join my friends at the table, and was met with Angela's bright smile. I smiled back at her and sat down on the empty seat between her and Eric.

"Bella, hi," Jessica acknowledged my presence with a smile. "Are you coming to my party tomorrow?"

I shook my head, taking a bite out of my apple. "I don't have a costume,"

Jessica's eyes turned big, and she pouted. She may have been going for the sad, innocent look, but instead she looked like a fish. "Please. It's our last year."

"That's what I said too!" Mike chipped in, turning his blue eyes on me.

I sighed. "Fine I'll come." Jessica squealed. "But don't expect me to wear a fancy costume, okay?"

"That's totally fine." Then she turned to Lauren and started to discuss costumes for the party.

"It's okay, I'm not so keen on going either," Angela said lowly so that the others wouldn't hear. "I'm only going because I promised Mike I'd be the designated driver.

I disguised my burst of laughter as a cough, and smiled when Angela and I shared a look. It was no secret that we and Ben, Angela's boyfriend, were probably the one ones in the senior class that wouldn't be getting piss drunk at the Party tomorrow. Then the bell rang, and I groaned. I had biology, then gym. Biology was okay, I was partnered with Angela, but Gym was a nightmare. I hadn't yet mastered the hand-eye coordination that was necessary for playing sports, so I almost always ended up hurting either myself or someone else.

The conversation was still on the Halloween party as Angela, Mike and I broke off towards the Biology classroom. As usual, Mike lingered by Angela's and my table before the bell rang, and as usual I felt uncomfortable by his piercing stare. That boy never seemed to take a hint. Seriously. I'd been telling him no for almost two years, but he still didn't get the memo.

"Okay class, settle down," Mr Banner said as he entered the classroom, and Mike went back to his seat. Mr Banner put down the small cardboard boxes he was juggling with on Mike's table, and told him to start passing them around. Angela opened the box as it was put on our desk, and I stared with wide eyes at the equipment she took out. No, this couldn't be happening. I didn't hear any of the instructions that Mr Banner was telling everyone, the ringing in my ears was too loud. A few seconds after Angela jabbed the spike into her middle finger, everything went black.

--

When I woke up, I was laying in a hospital bed. I sighed as I looked around. Esme was sitting over by the window, reading a magazine. She looked up, and a smile formed on her face when she saw that I was awake.

"Hey sweetie. How're you feeling?"

I took a moment, and then looked up at her. "My head hurts. And I guess I hit my arm on something," I gestured to my left forearm, where five new stitches were staring back at me.

"You hit your head on the edge of your table when you fainted, that's why they brought you in. You also ripped your arm open on a nail that was sticking out on the lower part of the table." She gave me a sympathetic smile as she stroked my hair. "Blood type testing, huh?"

I nodded. I'd always fainted at the smell of blood, ever since I was a little kid. Other people might argue that you can't smell blood if it's not in a massive amount, but I can. It makes me faint, or throw up. It depends. I guess it was fainting this time. Suddenly an idea struck me. "Does this mean that I don't have to go at the Halloween party tomorrow?" I tried to not sound too excited, but obviously failed when Esme let out a laugh.

"Carlisle is signing the release forms as we speak, and if you take it easy the rest of today and tomorrow I don't see why you shouldn't be able to go."

I sighed again, disappointed. "Damn. Why couldn't I have hit my head harder?" I muttered, trying hard not to scratch the stitches. They really were itching.

"Isabella Marie Swan, that is a terrible thing to say!" Esme scolded, even though I heard the traces of a smile in the statement. "If you don't want to go, just tell your friends. I'm sure they'd understand."

"I should go to keep Angela company, she's the designated driver. I just have to find a costume."

"Actually, I think I can help with that." The magazine Esme had been reading landed in my lap, with the page in question up for me to see. I looked from the page and up to Esme.

"This might actually work," I said, a smile tugging on the corners of my mouth.

Esme smiled back. "See, I'm not entirely useless. I'll go and let Carlisle know that you're awake, and then we can go home." She left the room, and I was left alone. She wasn't gone long though, and soon came back with both Carlisle and a nurse on her trail.

"I'm glad you're awake Bella. How are you feeling?" Carlisle asked, a small smile on his lips.

"I feel fine. I don't have a headache, I'm not dizzy, not feeling nauseous, don't have a headache and I'm not tired."

Carlisle laughed. "You know how it works." He motioned for the nurse to unhook me from all the machines. I inhaled deeply when she removed the IV from my hand. Needles and I didn't mix, which was kind of ironic given the extent of my hospital record. I was left alone to get dressed, and noticed that a different shirt lay with my jeans and sneakers. My other one had been ripped by the nail, I figured, and was glad that Esme thought of bringing me another shirt. I pulled it on, carefully not to rip open my stitches, and smoothed it down over my stomach.

--

"Okay, I'm almost ready to go," I said as I came down the stairs, carrying my jacket on one hand. Esme looked at me up and down, and smiled brightly.

"Bella, you look amazing,"

"Thanks. Can you help me with my hair?"

"Off course." I handed her two elastic bands and turned around, allowing Esme to gather my hair in two French braids. When she was done she hugged me from behind, and a smile left my lips as I covered her arm with my hand. "I'm proud of you Bella."

I moved to face her. "What do you mean?"

"You've grown up to become a beautiful young woman Bella."

I blushed. I never did take compliments well. "You raised me well." Feeling that if we continued with this conversation I'd start crying, I gave her a quick hug. "I'll be home late, so don't wait up, okay?"

"Have fun, and be careful."

I put on my jacket before I stepped outside, and hurried so I wouldn't get too wet in the drizzle that covered everything outside. The ride over to Jessica's seemed shorter than usual. It may have been the fact that I really didn't want to go there in the first place.

It had stopped raining when I pulled up in front of Jessica's house. Sometimes living in the middle of a forest had its disadvantages. The weather was almost never the same there as it was in the rest of Forks, even though the town was so small that if you blinked while driving through it, you'd miss it. I suddenly realized that I had been sitting in my car for the past five minutes, and shook my head.

"I must have hit my head harder than I thought," I muttered to myself as I stepped out of my car and went up towards Jessica's house.

The party was already in full swing when I walked in, and I snorted at some of the less original costumes when I saw Lauren walk past me in a Playboy suit, complete with ears and a fluffy tail.

"Bella, you came!"

I whipped my head around and nearly laughed when I saw Mike, complete with a Superman Muscle Suit. He grinned big at me.

"Hey Mike,"

"You look great." His smile turned into a frown. "What are you supposed to be?"

"Dorothy." I was met with a blank face. "From the Wizard of Oz?"

A look worth laughing at appeared on Mike's face when his brain finally connected with what I was saying. "Oh, okay. But isn't she supposed to have a dress on?"

"I'm a modern Dorothy."

I was dressed in a blue plaid shirt that was partially open, revealing the white tank top underneath, dark wash skinny jeans and red Chuck Taylor's. My hair was up in two French braids with blue ribbons on the bottom, just like Dorothy's.

Mike smiled again. "Do you want to dance?"

I gave an embarrassed laugh. "Mike, you know I can't dance. You should ask Jessica instead, I'm gonna go find Angela." Before he had a chance to ensnare me further, I left him standing there in my search for Angela. I found her in the kitchen, where she was sitting and talking to Ben. I couldn't help but to smile as I saw them, dressed in matching Bonnie and Clyde costumes.

"Bella, hi! I was starting to wonder when you'd show up," Angela smiled as she saw me, and I sat down next to her.

"I just escaped Superman by the entrance."

She laughed. "Mike, huh? I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw his costume either. So who are you supposed to be?" I explained to her as well, and she let out a chuckle. "That's really smart Bella. I wonder why I didn't think of that."

"Because we'd already rented the costumes," Ben chipped in, and Angela gave her boyfriend a sweet look. I couldn't help but to feel a bit sad when I saw them. The closest I'd had to a serious boyfriend was Edward, and that was just a drunken one night stand. Sad, I know.

I was suddenly distracted by a guy walking by dressed as a pile of leaves, and Angela and I looked at each other before bursting into laughter. I was glad that I had waterproof mascara on, otherwise I would definitely be having some make up meltdown.

The rest of the party was just about as fun as I thought it would be. The most exciting thing that happened was when Mike got piss drunk and tried to convince a couple of Sophomore girls that the muscles in his suit was real. Other than that, and seeing a girl named Louise trip and fall in her mermaid costume (really, it was a disaster waiting to happen), it was pretty dull. That's why I wasn't disappointed when Jessica announced the party over at around one in the morning, right after some guy threw up in Mrs Stanley's antique fruit bowl.

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Again, so sorry for the late update. Since I posted the author's note I've had a few favourites and alerts, which is great, but I'm a bit bummed that I haven't gotten any reviews. If no one reviews what I write I take that as a sign that no one likes my writing. I'm not whoring for reviews, just thought I'd let you know. Anyway, on with the show =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 4**

"Alice, no!"

She pouted, and tried to give me the puppy eyes. Well, tough luck missy. I'm not falling for them this time. "Please Bella."

"No! There's no way in hell I'm going shopping with you on Black Friday,"

"But," she stuck her lower lip out even more. "Pretty clothes."

It was the night before Thanksgiving, and Alice had just arrived from Seattle. I was laying on my bed, toying with the hem of my shirt while Alice was sitting Indian style on the floor.

"You can go with Esme, or Rosalie. I'm not going." I stood my ground. I'd gone with Alice to the Black Friday sale last year, and it was something I'd never, ever, ever do again. Shopping with Alice was normally a pain in the ass, and that was just for two, three hours. Last year we'd gone shopping from 4 am until almost noon. I wasn't able to walk for three days after that, my feet were so sore.

Alice huffed loudly. "Fine, you don't have to go. I have one condition though,"

"What Alice?" I asked, yawning and rolling over on my stomach.

"You let me dress you tomorrow."

I hesitated. Knowing Alice, she'd stick me in a dress and high heels. "If you promise that I can change if I absolutely hate it,"

A bright smile lit up her face. "Deal." Then a more serious look came onto her face. "Have you thought anymore about Edward?"

Her question took me off guard, that's for sure. But, I decided to play the oblivious card. "Edward who?"

"I'm not buying it, Bella," Alice's voice was stern. "You know you can't lie to save your life, so don't even try."

I sighed. "I haven't thought about him much really." The look Alice gave me was doubtful. "Knock it off, will ya? I'm never going to see him again anyway, and to be honest I can barely anything about him. I was piss drunk, remember?" Another lie. I might have been very drunk, but I could still remember some things about that night. Things that made me blush just to think about them.

"Fine, fine," Alice complied, sounding put out but the twinkle in her eyes told me that she was only teasing.

I smiled at her as I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. "Come on you crazy pixie, let's go and see if dinner's ready."

A glazed over look appeared in her eyes. She loved Esme's cooking, and always ate more than one could think for someone her size. "Let's go," she ordered, bouncing up and dragging me by my hand downstairs and into the kitchen.

Esme looked up from her place at the stove and smiled when she saw us. "Just in time girls. Alice, could you set the table please, and Bella can you go upstairs and let Carlisle know that dinner's ready?"

"Off course Esme," Alice beamed. "It smells delicious, I'm starving,"

I shook my head slightly, fighting off a smile. "You should have seen her upstairs Esme, she nearly took a bite out of my arm."

"Very funny Bella," Alice snorted, sticking her tongue out at me.

"Just keeping it real." I winked before going up towards Carlisle's office. I knocked on the half open door and stuck my head in. Carlisle was sitting behind his desk, and he looked up when he heard me.

"Dinner's ready,"

"Thank you Bella. I just have to finish this, I'll be down in a minute."

I smiled and went back downstairs. Esme shook her head slightly when I gave her Carlisle's message. I knew what she was thinking; he was working too much.

"Well, how about you and Alice go and watch some TV, and I'll let you know when it's done."

Alice, who loved our Plasma TV and surround sound more than she loved me, almost skipped of f to the living-room. I chuckled at her child-like manners before I followed her, popping down on the couch next to her. she had already claimed control over the remote and was watching some crappy reality show on MTV. I was probably the only one under the age of 20 who **didn't **like those reality shows.

"I'm hungry," she complained, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her.

"Carlisle wil be finished soon, and then we can eat."

"Do you like him?"

"Who, Carlisle?" Alice nodded. "He's cool. He makes Esme happy, too. Why the sudden interest in my feelings for Carlisle?"

Alice had that look on her face that meant trouble. The last time I saw that look was before I went home with Edward at the bar. But off course, the little pixie tried to play innocent. "Nothing. Just curious."

"Mary Alice Brandon, tell me or I'll make sure you don't get any food."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Fine! Carlisle has an adoptive son. A **single** adoptive son."

"Alice, please. That's disgusting, we'll be siblings soon."

"Step siblings." She waggled her eyebrows at me at the same time Esme called that dinner was ready. I stood up and shook my head.

"You're a sick person, Alice,"

"What? It's not like your blood related. You didn't even grow up together. Now that would have been gross. If he's hot, I'll do him."

"What about Jasper?" I smirked, sitting down on the right side of the table.

"Ah, he'll live," she said and sat down next to me.

"Who'll live?" Esme asked as she sat down, Carlisle following behind her.

"Jasper's miserable at his parents house," the lie rolled off Alice's tongue easily, and I stifled a giggle. Alice shot me a look though that unleashed the laughter that was bubbling up inside of me, and soon we were both leaned over the table laughing our asses off.

--

The next morning I was awoken early by a small dark haired hurricane that jumped on my bed. I vaguely remember being pushed out of bed and into the bathroom with instructions to shave my legs. I was so tired I nearly fell asleep standing. Luckily the warm water helped waking my body up. Doing as the small pixie told me, I shaved my legs and actually managed not to cut myself, a rare thing for me. Feeling like taking a long shower but knowing Alice would murder me if I did, I quickly washed up and left the bathroom.

In the 20 minutes I'd been gone, my room had been transformed into a beauty salon. I looked at Alice with wide eyes. "Come on Alice, is this really necessary?"

"Yes Bella, it is. This is the first Thanksgiving you all celebrate together as a family, you have to look extra nice."

I sighed. "Fine." Dressing up might not be such a bad idea after all, when I thought about it. The few times I'd met Rosalie she was always dressed impecibly, and she always managed to bring my self esteem down a notch or two without even trying. Alice squealed and sat me down on my desk chair, twirling it so that the mirror on my wall was obscured from my vision.

My long hair was blow dried and then Alice put some floral scented stuff in my hair before whipping out her straightening iron.

"We have to do a big New Year's eve party this year."

"Why are you thinking about New Year's, it's only November?"

"It's New Year's, Bella! It's like the biggest party time of the year. I was thinking about having a ball or something."

I only half listened as Alice started talking about hotels, ballgowns and God knows what.

"There, your hair is done," Alice said after a while. "I'm gonna jump into the shower, and then we'll get breakfast. It's gonna be a quick one since we have to get ready in like an hour. Now be a good Bella and get dressed." She went off towards my bathroom and I realized that I was still in my bathrobe.

"Stupid pixie," I mumbled for the millionth time as I rummaged through my closet. Grabbing my comfy sweatpants I paired them with my Severus Snape t-shirt and pulled on a pair of knitted socks at the same time Alice came out from the bathroom, looking too good for this early morning.

She gave my shirt one glance and let out a deep sigh. It was no secret that she hated that shirt as much as I loved it, and she had threatened many times to cut it up while I was sleeping. I'd countered with the promise that I'd burn up her her most precious pair of Jimmy Choo's if she touched my t-shirt, so she had put her threats to rest for now.

"I can't believe you're still wearing that shirt," she shook her head, a disgusted look on her face. "Snape is the worst character ever. He's evil. He killed Dumbledore!"

"Severus Snape is a deeply misunderstood and complex character, Alice. Just read the books will you."

"I don't have the patience for reading books, you know that. Come on, I'm starving."

Esme was already in the kitchen when we came down, doing the stuffing for the turkey. She greeted us with a small smile as we took out bowls and a box of Lucky Charms from the cupboard.

"Do you need help with anything?" I asked after swallowing my last mouthful of cereal, and Esme shook her head.

"No dear, it's fine."

"When is everybody coming?" Alice asked, drinking the last of her coloured milk. Some of it dribbled down her chin, but she wiped it away with her hand.

"Emmett and Rosalie are coming at 11, but Edward aren't coming until noon." Esme looked nervous, and I pushed my body off the stool. Though she had met them both before, this was the first holiday we were spending together, and I could tell she wanted everything to be perfect.

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, squeezing her body reassuringly. "Today's going to be perfect,"

She smiled. "Thank you Bella. Why don't you and Alice go and get ready? I'll take care of the dishes."

"Thank's Esme," Alice smiled brightly and then dragged me up towards my room again. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to get ready for a "formal" event with Alice. It always took at least two hours, if I was lucky. This time however, it couldn't take as long time since my hair was already done. Or so I thought.

Three hours later, and both Alice and I were completely done. As much as I hated the primping Alice always insisted on doing to me, I'd have to admit that I looked good.

Alice had put me in a navy chiffon dress with thin straps and a satin waistband. The dress reached my knees, and I was glad she hadn't stuck me into something short. With it I had on a pair of white flats with a pattern of silver flowers, a silver flower pendant Esme had bought me for my 16th birthday and a braided hairband. My make up was done light, the way I liked it.

"We should get downstairs, it's almost 11," Alice said from over the mirror, and I faced her, taking a moment to check out her outfit. She was dressed in a strapless dress with geometrical patterns in black, purple and pink. With it she had on a pair of black leather pumps and the rhinestone chain bracelet she had bought in a small vintage store when we went spent a week in Los Angeles last year.

For the first time in a while I allowed myself to think about my parents, and I could feel my stomach clench up, like it always did when I thought about them. This was the 8th Thanksgiving I would be spending without them, and it didn't get any easier each year. I was always reminded of my mother's failing attempts of cooking the Turkey, my laughter as dad swung me around in the air and just the sheer happiness and love that was always present in that house. I snapped myself out of my daze when I felt someone grab my arm, and when my eyes focused again I saw Alice standing there, looking at me with a sad expression on her face. She knew where my mind went when I got that look, and she was always there to snap me out of it. Pushing all thoughts of my parents away, I gave her a convincing smile. "Let's get downstairs, someone has to protect the food once Emmett gets here."

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know. (I know I promised that Edward would be in this chapter, but this was a good place to cut it, so I'll have him appear in the next chapter instead.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I can't apologize enough for the long wait for this chapter. I'm currently in my senior year of high school, and I have been really busy ever since school started. I'm sorry to say that updates might come once a week, hopefully more often. All outfits described in this chapter can be found on my profile. Enjoy =)  
**

**Disclaimer: I Don't own Twilight, only the plot.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 5**

"Belly bird!" I was being swooped up in a big hug by a bear of a man, and my ribs were being crushed against his solid chest.

"Emmett, can't breathe," I managed to get out, and I was immediately let down. I looked up at the 6'5 monster of a man and couldn't help the big smile that appeared on my face. If you saw him from afar you might be scared out of your mind, but once you saw his curly hair and dimples, it was impossible to be afraid. I mean come on, who could be scared of someone with dimples? "It's good to see you."

"You too Bells." Then Emmett saw Alice, and he swooped her up in a simliar hug that he had given me. I looked behind him and saw the blonde bombshell that was Rosalie.

"Hi Bella. You look really nice," her blue eyes held nothing but kindness and her red mouth was smiling as she stepped forwards and gave me a much less tighter hug than Emmett had.

"Thanks Rose, you look great too." She really did. She was wearing a black dress that hugged her figure like a second skin and red pumps that made her tower over me even more.

"Emmett, Rosalie how lovely to see you," Esme came out of the kitchen, her smile so big it threatened to split her face in two. She looked great too, dressed in a purple ruffle blouse and a navy high waisted skirt.

As greetings were exchanged, I found myself face to face with Carlisle, who smiled at me. "Happy Thanksgiving, Bella," he smiled, hugging me. "You look beautiful."

"Happy thanksgiving Carlisle, and thank you." I smiled back at him. The others had now relocated to the kitchen, and we followed them there. Emmett was standing by the kitchen island, eyeing the food Esme was making a little to enthusiastically. I laughed when he reached out to take a piece of garlic bread and Rose slapped the back of his head. Rose winked at me, and I smiled before turning to Esme.

"Do you need help with anything, Esme?"

"Yes, can you stir the cranberry sauce please?"

I took my place behind the stove and stirred in the sauce, making the aroma come up and invade my senses. I was suddenly even more hungry than before, and I could almost understand how Emmett was feeling. I laughed silently to myself, and looked out the window when I heard the sound of a car coming closer. A silver Volvo was coming up the driveway, and parked between my Mercedes and Rosalie's BMW. This was Edward coming, I gathered. I looked away from the window when a loud bang was heard behind me. Emmett was sitting on the floor, looking sheepishly up at us. Apparantly, he had been bouncing so hard on the stool he was sitting on that it broke, sending him to the floor. The room was silent for no more than a few seconds before everybody started laughing. The look on Emmett's face was priceless, and I held on to the counter as I laughed. My other hand held on to my stomach, and I was starting to get trouble breathing from laughing so hard. As I finally started to calm down, I looked up. Carlisle was standing in the doorway, next to a tall man with bronze hair. My eyes widened with shock. No, it couldn't be.

_Edward._

What was he doing here? Then it dawned on me. My Edward, the Edward I'd spent a drunken yet amazing night with, was Carlisle's adoptive son.

"Bella, Alice, this is Edward," Carlisle said, pride in his voice. "Edward, this is Esme's daughter and her friend."

I could only stare at him, and he looked as shocked as I felt. I was broken out of my trance when Alice pushed past me. She walked up to Edward and stuck her tiny out towards him.

"Hi, I'm Alice."

He seemed to snap out of his shock too, and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Alice."

Seeing Esme's encouraging look and the small nudge she gave me, I walked up to Edward with hesitant steps. My heart was beating so loud I'm sure everybody could hear it, my hands were starting to sweat and my face was probably red.

"Nice to meet you Edward," I said, my voice shaking a bit and I offered him my hand.

He took it, and I felt an electric current going through our hands. I held in the gasp that threatened to to leave my mouth. "The pleasure's entirely mine. I've heard so much about you, Bella." He grinned crookedly, and my face flushed even more. I then realized that we were the center of attention, and quickly retracted my hand from his. I walked back to behind the stove and continued to stir the sauce, trying to convince myself that the heat from the stove was causing my blushing.

"Hey Emmett, why are you on the floor?" his velvety voice sounded amused, and looked over my shoulder. Edward extracted a hand to Emmett, who grabbed it and hauled himself up.

"The stool broke." Emmett turned to Esme, giving her a version of Alice's puppy eyes that I was sure she had taught him. "I'm sorry Esme, I'll repay you,"

"Don't worry about it Emmett. Why don't you all go out in the living-room while you wait? The food should be done soon."

As the kitchen started to clear out, I lingered. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Esme?" I was hoping she'd say yes. I did not want to have to talk to Edward. I wasn't composed enough for that.

Esme gave me a surprised smile. "This is a change. You haven't helped me this much since you were 12,"

I blushed, but thankfully it looked like I was just being bashful and not like I was having some ulterior motive behind my helpfulness. "This is the first Thanksgiving dinner when it's not just you and me Esme, I can't let you do everything."

"Alright dear. Can you please do the deviled eggs? Everything's in the fridge,"

I smiled brightly. "I'm on it." I went to the fridge and took out the ingredients.

"Do you need my help with anything?"

_Oh, fuck. _

"How kind of you Edward. You can fix the mashed potatoes if you want to. They're in the fridge."

_Double fuck. _

I could hear his footsteps behind me, and I could feel the hairs on my arms stand up. I could feel my breathing getting heavier, and prayed he wouldn't notice. I stepped back a bit, and collided with his chest. He lowered his lips to my ear, and shivers went through my body.

"We need to talk," his velvety voice whispered in my ear. His hot breath against my neck sent shivers down my spine. Then he was gone. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Now only one thing remained;

_How the fuck __am I going to get through this dinner?_

--

To say dinner was awkward would be an understatement. I was sitting across from Edward, and tried my very hardest not to look at him once. It didn't work, and my eyes would repeatedly dart over to watch him. More than once would our eyes meet, and my cheeks would flush. The others seemed oblivious to the tension between us, which I was grateful for.

"This was wonderful Esme, I don't think I can eat another bite," Edward smiled at Esme after the main course.

"Thank you Edward. We're not done though, we still have dessert. Bella, would you mind giving me a hand?"

I nodded. "Off course,"

"I can help Bella, Esme. It's the least I can do,"

"How nice of you Edward,"

If I could strangle him, I would. Instead, my body moved automatically, picking up the dishes and carrying them into the kitchen. I almost bumped into Edward on the way back, but managed to avoid body contact. When I took away Esme's plate she smiled at me, and I could see the haze from the wine in her eyes. I managed a small smile in return that immediately dropped when I turned my back at her. I was losing control, I could feel it. I almost threw the plate down in the sink, and then leaned against the counter. My head hung low, and I bit back the tears that flooded in my eyes.

"Where should I put this?"

"Just put it on the counter," I replied, not lifting my head. I heard him set down the empty dishes, but didn't hear him leave.

"Are you okay?" his voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"Yeah, I just ate too much," I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "Can you start to put out the desserts?"

"Yeah, sure."

A minute later I heard him leave. I sighed, my hand leaving it's grip on the counter to run through my hair. I turned around, resting my back against the counter. This was not the time for my control issues. I needed to pull myself together. My eyes came to rest on the berry cobbler that was sitting innocently on the kitchen island.

My mind screamed in protest as my body moved forward, towards my undoing. I went my suddenly dry lips as my legs brought me closer. A fork was clutched tightly in my right hand, shaking as my other limbs were. Determined, I stuck the fork in the cobbler and brought it up to my mouth. The first bite was heavenly. Tears fell from my eyes as I took another mouthful, and another. The make-up Alice had so artfully applied lay melted against my face, and my hair stuck to the wet slivers on my cheeks. Not a minute later the cobbler was gone, and I put the fork down on the empty dish.

"Bella?"

I looked up, and stared into Alice's wide eyes. The realization of what I'd just done kicked in, and I felt my stomach revolting. With my hand clasped over my mouth I ran towards the bathroom.

**APOV**

Bella's facial expression was almost comical, but I felt sorry for her. though I had to admit, Edward was a looker. If I didn't have Jasper I'd so do him. The man in question came back, carrying two pecan pies in his hands, which he set down on the table. he looked troubled, and I wondered if something had happened between him and Bella in the kitchen.

"Where's Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"In the kitchen," Edward replied, "I don't think she's feeling very well."

Esme's eyes met my own, and I could see my own panic reflected in them. It had been a while, but the fear was as strong as ever.

"I'll go and check up on her." I stood up, and with a bad feeling in my gut I walked to the kitchen.

The sight that met me almost made me gasp. Bella was standing at the kitchen island with tears streaming down her face as she ate the last piece of the berry cobbler Esme had made last night.

"Bella?"

She looked up, her eyes wide. She almost went green, and then she covered her hand over her mouth and sprinted off towards the bathroom. I followed her, my heels clicking against the floor with every step I took. I could hear her throwing up on the other side of the closed door, and I knocked on it carefully before opening it. Bella was still purging into the porcelain bowl, and I kneeled down beside her. Gathering up her hair in my hand, I started to rub her back gently. After a few minutes it was evident from the sound that she didn't have anything left in her stomach. I reached up to flush it down, and moved out of the way when Bella sat back on her heels.

"I'm sorry," she croaked, reaching up to brush away the tears.

"You have nothing to apologize for," I assured her, stroking her hair softly. "You know Carlisle said it would be hard, and that the chance of relapse was high."

"I hate this!" she exclaimed. A dejected look came on to her face. "I just want to be normal."

I didn't know how to answer that, so instead I just pulled her close to me, trying to chase her sadness away.

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm soooo sorry for the long wait, I've been beating myself up every day the last week for not undating. But, as I've said before and will probably say again, I'm a senior in high school, and the homeworks that we get are massive. Add that to the fact that I have to study like a maniac for the written part of my driver's licence (which I've already failed three times. I was ONE LOUSY POINT away from a passing grade the last time) and you get a pretty swamped writer with not much spare time, and that spare time is spent sleeping and eating. **

**I can't promise you that I'm going to update exactly every week, or even every two weeks. The only thing I can promise you is that I'm going the best I can with the time I've got. And if that means that one update will be three days apart and the new three weeks, so be it. But please try to be considerate of that fact. I don't really want any reviews asking why I won't update faster.**

**Okay, so after the longest fricking author's note in history, this is it. Oh, one more thing; it would be great, amazing really, if everbody who reads this chapter leaves a review. It doesn't have to be a long one, just a "good job" is enough to satisfy me. On with the show =)**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters, Stephenie Meyer owns everything. I would like to own a life size Edward Cullen made entirely of chocolate though...

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 6**

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"Alice, you always go out shopping on Black Friday. It's tradition."

She chewed on her lip, deep in thoughts. "But it's different now. I don't feel right leaving you here alone." I understood the unsaid statement. She didn't trust me not to relapse again. I didn't blame her. We were curled up on my bed, a few hours after the scene in the bathroom. Alice had gone to fetch Esme when I had calmed down enough to be coherent, and the following hour I had cried in the arms of the woman who had been my mother for almost a decade. Luckily I didn't have to pass the dining room when I went up to my room. Esme told everyone that I'd simply eaten to much and was having stomach ache.

"It's okay Alice, I promise. If I feel it coming, even just a little, I'll call you." I grinned. "You'd be here within the hour, probably still in the outfit you were trying on at the moment."

Alice chuckled. "That's true. And you won't be alone, Edward will be here. He said that he had papers to grade."

"Great," I muttered, my eyes downcast.

"What's your problem with him?"

I looked up at Alice, surprise marring my face. "What do you mean?"

"I realize that it's weird and all with you having slept together, and he's practically your brother, but you act like you hate the guy."

I sighed. "I don't hate him."

"Then why do you act like you do?" I could hear no anger in Alice's voice, nor any sign that she was unhappy with me. She was merely asking a question, wanting to understand my actions.

I sighed again. This was gonna get tough to explain. "Maybe it's because I've been thinking about him since Seattle. Not all the time, but he's been a constant at the back of my mind. And it was such a surprise to see him again, because I'd just realized that I wasn't going to ever see him again, and that I would have to find another guy I felt like that about. When he touched me Alice, even when it was just a handshake, it felt this electric tingle between our skins. What?"

Alice was looking at me with a grin, a knowing look in her eyes. "That's the same way I feel about Jasper."

Her statement caught me off guard. Alice and Jasper had one of the purest loves I'd ever seen. They had met in their junior year of high school, when Jasper was new. We had been eating lunch in the cafeteria, when Jasper walked in. Alice had calmly stood up and walked up to him. She had said something about him keeping her waiting for a long time, and they'd been together ever since.

"Are you even going to talk to him?" Alice's voice brought me out of my memories, and I nodded.

"Tomorrow. Can we sleep now? I'm really tired."

"Off course. Goodnight." She slid of the bed and turned off the lights before settling down on the sofa bed. Even though we had a lot of guest rooms, Alice always slept in my room. It was tradition.

"Goodnight."

My sleep was restless, I woke up almost one an hour. I was awake when Alice woke up at four thirty, and found it impossible to fall back asleep. Instead I went downstairs and sat down in front of the TV, turning on VH1.

"Are you sure you'll be alright at home?" Esme asked, stroking my hair and putting a thick blanket over my cold body.

I nodded. "Go have fun. Try to talk Alice out of buying a whole new wardrobe for me."

Esme smiled. "Okay sweetie. I'll see you tonight."

Another hour passed, and then Carlisle appeared. He had an early shift at the hospital. I felt my eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and when the top ten countdown was done, I fell asleep.

***

When I woke up the first thing that hit me was the smell of pancakes in the air. I threw off the blanket and stood up, stretching out my limbs. After turning off the TV I made my way to the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway, surprised by the sight that greeted me. Edward was standing by the stove, cooking pancakes. His back was towards me, and I let my eyes wander down his strong back and to his backside. I felt myself blush. Deciding that I'd gone unnoticed long enough, I cleared my throat. Edward looked behind him, and a small crooked smile appeared on his face.

I almost melted.

"Good morning. Would you like some pancakes?"

It took me a few moments to register what he was saying. He was the very picture of politness, waiting for my answer with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks." I sat down on the remaining stool at the center island as Edward turned back to the stove.

"How did you sleep?"

I was more than slightly baffled by his behaviour. "Like shit." I guess he heard the confusion in my voice, because he sighed.

"Look," he started, still with his back facing me. "I'm about as surprised and confused as you are, but that doesn't mean we can't be civil with each other."

I felt bad at his words when I realized that I had been kind of bitchy towards him. "Can we talk after breakfast?"

He turned around and set down a plate of pancakes in front of me and nodded. "I'll be in the living-room. Come see me when you're done." Edward left the kitchen, giving me a small smile on the way out.

I looked after him for a few moments before making my way over to the fridge and taking out a jug of orange juice. As I filled a glass with the orange liquid, I eyed the stack of pancakes Edward had left for me. My stomach clenched at the sight of them. I'd never handled eating after a binge day very well. Even if it was just a small binge, it was still a binge. Sitting down again I cut up a medium size piece of the pancake, and stared at it. I tried to force myself to picture Alice standing over my shoulder, telling me to not stress out. With that thought in mind, I ate one of the pancakes before giving up.

Knowing I had to face the music I put away my dished before walking slowly to the living-room. Edward was sitting on the couch, a cup of coffee in one hand and a news paper in the other one. He looked up when he heard me. I tried to decipher the expression on his face, but was unsuccessful. It struck me how comfortable he was in this house before I realized that he had grown up here.

"You wanted to talk?" I blurted out, and then felt my cheeks flush.

"Should we play 20 questions?" he gave a crooked smile, a teasing look in his eyes.

I sat down opposite from him, and pulled the sleeves of my long sleeved t-shirt over my wrists. "If you want to."

Edward set the paper down and leaned forwards, resting his forearms on his knees. And oh, those forearms. Finding myself staring at him, I shook myself out of the trance. He was watching me, an amused look on his face as he waited for me to start.

"When did you realize I was Esme's daughter?"

"When I set foot in the kitchen yesterday." His eyes seemed to go straight through me, and I lowered my eyes, plucking on a loose thread on my sleeve. "How old are you?"

My eyes snapped back to his face, my brow furrowed. He looked worried, and I suddenly realized why. I didn't exactly look my age, and people always mistook me for someone younger. "I'm 18."

He drew a sigh of relief, running a hand through his bronze hair. "Thank God," he muttered. His eyes met mine again, and this time I couldn't look away. Something drew me in.

"The day after, did you come to that diner looking for me?"

He looked confused. "You were at that diner?"

I nodded. "Yeah, Alice and I went for some hangover food."

He grinned crookedly, and I cursed my heart for doing a little flip. "They do serve the best hangover food in Seattle. But, I didn't know you were there. It was a pure coincidence." He chuckled to himself, but then his smile faded, and he instead looked very torn. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. I didn't know what to say, so I just sat silent. after a few minutes, he spoke up.

"What are we going to do? About us, I mean."

"I don't know," I answered. I didn't know what I wanted to answer, nor what I wanted him to say. Did I want him to say that I was the most amazing woman he'd ever met and that he never wanted to be apart from me again? Or that it was just a drunken one night stand, nothing more, and the fact that we would be step siblings soon didn't change anything? I didn't know.

He sighed again, and opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking. "I think it's best if we tired to forget about it."

Ladies and Gentlemen, the answer is door number two!

He still looked conflicted, but continued talking anyway. "I don't know what Carlisle would think if he knew. I don't even know what I think about it. It doesn't feel right, because you're so much younger than me." He looked expectantly at me, and I realized that he was waiting for me to say something.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I agree. It would be weird. So, friends?" I tentatively stuck my hand out in front of me, and he gave that damn crooked grin before accepting it. My sking still tingled with his touch, and I realized then how hard this would be.

"Friends."

--

I looked up from the book I was reading when I heard the front door slam. A glance at the clock told me that it was almost 2 p.m, and that meant that Esme, Rose and Alice was home. I set the book down on the coffee table and went to the foyer to greet them, and help Alice with her bags. Last year she had almost thirty bags after Black Friday shopping, and they almost didn't fit into her yellow Porsche 911.

"Have you been dressed like that all day?" came the Pixie's voice, sounding both shocked and angry. Crap, I forgot to change to Alice friendly clothes after my talk with Edward.

"Uh, yeah?"

Alice shook her head, causing her earrings to jiggle. "Have I taught you nothing? Just for that you get the honour of helping me with the bags."

I studied the bags that adored the floor for a second. They weren't as many as last year, maybe only 20. And trust me, 20 bags in Alice language is nothing. Grabbing as many as I could in my hands I went towards the stairs.

"Damn Alice, how much did you shop?" I cursed when a bag almost slipped through my fingers.

"Don't worry Bella, half of all the stuff is for you."

I knew it was coming, so I shouldn't have been that shocked. And I wasn't, honestly. What happened though was that Edward came out from the kitchen. I couldn't see him as he was behind me, but when he asked Alice how her day had been, he scared me. This, off course, made me drop every single bag. I felt my cheeks turn red, and Edward gave me an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," I mumbled, bending down and trying to gather up the bags again.

"Here, let me help you." He quickly gathered all the bags in his hands and stood up. "Which room is yours?"

"Third floor, down the hall to the right," Alice answered, a bright smile on her face. Edward gave her a small smile before disappearing up the stairs. I looked after him, and when he was safetly out of sight and ear shot I sighed.

"What happened between you? Did you talk to him?" Alice grilled me, and I shook my head.

"I'll tell you later. Now come on, I want to see what clothes you've bought that I'm never going to wear." I started to walk ahead of her up the stairs, and smirked when I heard her huff. She was probably standing with her hands on her hips, trying to look menacing. I sneaked a look behind me. Yep, wannabe meanacing face in full mode.

"Don't you have any faith in me Bella?" she screeched, and I continued my walking.

"No."

"Have I ever bought you something that made you uncomfortable?"

"Yes."

"If you don't keep and use at least half the stuff I bought you I'm going to cut up your Snape t-shirt."

Oh no she didn't.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know. And please review :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm baack :D Even though I'm only half way through chapter 8 at the moment, I have this story roughly outlined, so writing should be going much easier. I still can't promise updates regulary, I still have a lot in school + another story I'm working in which is in serious need of an update. Also, due to an error I just realized, I've changed Edward's age from 23 to 26. But, anyway here is chapter 7. Enjoy =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I just like to mess with their heads...**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 7**

"Okay, now spill."

"I don't know what you want me to tell you, Alice," I dodged her question, continuing to put the new clothes into my closet. It was already full with clothes, the majority of them I'd never worn.

"Duh! I want details! I know you talked to him today. Just tell me what you said."

I sighed and gave up trying to stuff the clothes into my closet, and just threw them in before closing the door. "We just talked." I didn't meet Alice's eyes, knowing exactly what I'd see.

"Bella..." her tone was low, warning.

"He wanted to forget about it," my voice was low too, but for a completely different reason.

"What?" Alice's voice was shrill and disbelieving.

I turned around to face her, and did my best to ignore the tears that suddenly started to flow from my eyes. "He wanted to forget about it," I repeated. "He didn't want me." My voice cracked at the end, and I stubbornly brushed away the tears. Alice took a step towards me, but stopped when a knock was heard on the door. It opened, and Rose stuck her head in. She looked slightly uncomfortable, but gave a small smile.

"Dinner's ready."

"Thanks Rose," I responded before turning around, looking at my face in the mirror and wiping the tears from my face. I ignored the look Alice gave me, and went downstairs.

Everyone was sitting by the table, where every leftover from last night's dinner was situated. I felt my stomach clench at the sight, and decided that I wasn't that hungry. I sat down next to Emmett, ignoring Alice as she sat down on my left.

"We're not done talking about this," she muttered in my ear.

"Yes, we are," I hissed.

"Bella, are you okay?"

I looked up to see Esme looking at me with a concern facial expression. "Yeah, I'm fine. Not very hungry though,"

She gave a small nod, showing that she understood.

I loaded up a very small amount of food on my plate, and wrinkled my nose when I say the huge amount Emmett had on his. After eating for a few minutes, someone cleared their throat. I looked up, and found that it was Edward, who was now preparing to speak.

"I have an announcement to make." I frowned. What could he have to say? "A few months ago, I did a job interview for the position of the music teacher at Forks High School." God, no. Please, don't let him say what I think he's going to say. "And a few days ago they called me back. I am officially the new music teacher at Forks High School."

Fuck.

As everybody around the table congratulated him, I sat like frozen. Was I going to be able to handle this? Despite what I told Alice, and myself for that matter, I was attracted to Edward. It was bad enough having him as a stepbrother, even though he wouldn't be living here with us. But to have him working at my school? The only way this could have been worse was if I had taken a music class this year. Which, fortunately, I wasn't.

"Bella?" it was Alice this time that drew my attention.

"Yeah, sorry. I hope you'll enjoy Forks High Edward." Giving him a small tight lipped smile, I took a miniscule bite of my food. My stomach clenched, but I forced the food down anyway.

How I was going to get through the time having Edward teaching at Forks, I didn't know.

--

No matter how much I wished it didn't, time passed. Alice and Edward went back to Seattle, Rose and Emmett to Vermont, and I went back to school. November passed, and before I knew it it was the start of December. One morning when I woke up there was a fluffy white cover of snow everywhere.

Esme also went into the big finish with planning the wedding, and my entire weekends were filled with making the last fitting of my dress. Apparentely, I'd gained weight since I tried it out last, so the seamstress had to take it out in some places. Joy filled my entire body, and I looked up at Esme. The look in her eyes could only be described as pride.

As we came out on the side walk, she hugged me tightly.

"Oh honey, I'm so proud of you."

I gripped her tightly, feeling lucky that I was beating this illness. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere though without the support of my friends and family, so when I came home the first thing I did was to call Alice. She screeched in my ear and promised to take me shopping for a new wardrobe. I knew there was nothing I could say to convince her otherwise, so I just got along with it.

Later that evening I was sitting on the couch reading my worn out copy of Wuthering Heights when the phone rang. Without lifting my eyes from the page I reached out for the phone and answered it.

"Cullen Residence."

There was nothing but silence on the other line for a short while, and then someone cleared their throat. "Bella?"

I sat up abruptly, and my book fell to the floor. "Edward. Hi."

"How are you?" His velvety voice sounded unsure, and I caught myself biting my lower lip. I released it, but started to chew on my thumb nail instead.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fine, just fine. Listen, is Carlisle there?"

"No, he's at the hospital, he has a late shift."

"Oh, okay. Could I speak to Esme instead?"

"Uh, yeah sure. Hang on for a sec." I rose from the couch and went to the kitchen, where Esme was preparing dinner. She smiled when she saw me, and I handed her the phone. "Edward wants to speak with you."

She grabbed the phone with a smile on her face. "Edward, hi!"

While they talked, I hopped up on the kitchen island and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. I was wondering to myself what Edward wanted, but shrugged it off to wedding details. It was only little over a week left until Esme and Carlisle would legally bind themselves to each other.

"Yes, off course. I really can't thank you enough Edward, for doing this. I'll see you next week. Bye." Esme turned to me, and I gave her a smile.

"What did he want?"

"Just some wedding things." Just like a thought. "Oh, and another thing. While Carlisle and I are away on our honeymoon, Edward agreed to watch the house."

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. "What? I thought I was house watching?"

"You are too, honey. I just worry, you know that, and I'd feel a lot better if I knew that Edward was here to take care of you."

The smile on my face was faker than a pageant contestant. "Off course, Esme. Whatever you think is necessary." I hopped off the counter, and went up to my room. Two hours and one and a half Nine Inch Nails record later, there was a knock on my door.

"It's open!" I called out hoarsely.

The door opened, and Carlisle stepped in. He gave me a smile as he sat down at my desk chair. I sat up from my position lying on my bed, and crossed my legs Indian style.

"Esme told me what happened at the dress store." His voice was calm, a perfect mix between a doctor and sounding like a proud parent. Never mind the fact that he wasn't actually my parent. "I'm proud of you."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"When did you last weigh yourself?"

"Before school started."

"And how much did you weigh then?"

I hung my head in shame. "97 pounds."

"And besides on Thanksgiving, you haven't thrown up at in since last year?"

I shook my head. "No, not at all."

"Will you weigh yourself now?"

I nodded, wanting to know the results of my weight gain. "Yeah, sure. Can you bring the scale in here?"

"Off course."

When he came back, Esme was with him. He placed the scale on my floor, and I removed my hoodie before stepping up on it. I kept my eyes straight forward, not wanting to look down. I glanced at Carlisle, and I saw that he was smiling. I knew it must be good. Still, I couldn't bring myself to ask him what it said.

"What does it say?" It was Esme who asked the golden question.

"105."

I gaped. "Eight pounds? I've gained eight pounds since August?"

Carlisle nodded. "I think this is a very good increase."

"It's wonderful sweetie," Esme smiled. "Dinner's ready."

--

After dinner, I locked myself into my bedroom and stood in front of my full length mirror. I stripped down to my underwear and eyed my body, trying to see where I'd gained weight. You couldn't see my ribs as much as before, and my stomach wasn't as concave. Smiling slightly to myself, I pulled on my pyjamas and went to bed.

_Soft lips against the shell of my ear, heavy breathing I could feel into the core of my body. I could feel his __hard body behind me, and his erection pressing into my lower back. A moan fell from my lips, and his hands left my breasts and travelled down my stomach and between my legs. My head tipped back against his shoulder, and I was gasping for air. As his fingers touched me, a low moan rose in the back of my throat._

"_Uh. Edward..."_

I woke up with a bang, my heart beating a million strokes per second, and the sheets clinging to my sweaty skin. I pulled my hair away from my damp forehead, and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. I glanced at the clock, and then groaned. _3:47_. The dream confused me. I hadn't dreamt about Edward since Thanksgiving, and I thought that I was finally getting over him. But it seemed I was out of luck. Sighing, I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, praying that this one would be dreamless.

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	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I shocked you with a new update, didn't i? I am nothing if not sneaky. Anywho, thanks SO MUCH to everybody who has reviewed and added to alerts and favourite. You could still do better though, I have over 2000 hits but only 33 reviews. Still, you guys are amazing. Without further notice, here is chapter number eight. Also, for visuals; all outfits described can be found on my profile.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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**  
The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 8**

"Do you have everything?"

"Yes."

"Are you _sure_ you have everything?"

I sighed. "Yes, aunt Irina." Irina wasn't really my aunt; she was Esme's older sister who insisted that I called her aunt Irina. I didn't really like her, and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

It was early afternoon on Friday December 18th, the day before Carlisle's and Esme's wedding. I got a pass to skip gym because we were leaving for Seattle today, which was a good thing because we were playing Volleyball. The wedding ceremony wasn't until tomorrow afternoon, but Esme had decided that we should stay the night before in Seattle to avoid being short on time tomorrow. There would be at least 200 guests there, and I barely knew anyone. There were Carlisle's and Esme's families, which was really just Esme's and Carlisle's siblings and their families, their co-workers and friends. Both Rosalie and Alice were bridesmaids, while I was the maid of honour.

"Isabella, we need to leave now." She shook her head, causing her bleach blonde hair to fly all over the place. I repressed a laugh. Irina was just past 40 years old, but dressed like she was still 25. Her hair was so blonde it was almost white, and she had a deep tan which was almost an orange shade.

I loaded in my small bag in the trunk of her car and then stepped into the backseat, pulling out my iPod and opened the playlist I usually reserved for car rides. I heard Irina get in the car, and then we drove off.

I was still a bit sulky at Esme, who had left for Seattle last night. I would have wanted to go with them. Either that, or driving there myself. But no, I would have to go with Irina, since Esme didn't want me to miss school today.

I settled in more comfortably as Snow Patrol filled my ears. Four hours later (Irina was a really slow driver) we arrived at the hotel. Esme was waiting outside, a large yellow umbrella in her hand.

--

I sat up from the bed when someone knocked on the door. It had been a few hours since Esme showed me the room I'd be staying in, and I figured it must be her at the door because it was nearing dinner time. But when I opened the door, I was surprised by a small pixie throwing herself into my arms.

"Bella! I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too Alice," I hugged her back. I hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving, and talking on the phone wasn't just the same as meeting in person. Despite our falling out about Edward, we'd made up quickly. We always did.

"Okay, we've only got twenty minutes, so we're going to have to work quickly." She moved past me into the room while she talked. "I don't know what kind of restaurant we're going to, so we're going to have to go with something that works everywhere."

"Uh, Alice?" she turned to face me. "What are you doing here exactly?"

She laughed. "I'm here to help you get dressed, duh. You need to look good for Edward."

I sighed and sat down on the bed. "Alice, can you please stop it? He made it perfectly clear that he only wants to be friends,"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Bitch, please. I refuse to believe that he doesn't want to at least screw you again. I have to admit, you're quite the catch." She rummaged through my suitcase, and I realized there was no stopping her.

"Fine. But no skirts or dresses, and no high heels."

"That's totally fine. You've already showered, I hope?" When I nodded, she continued. "Good. Put this on, and I'll help you with you hair." She threw a sweater and jeans at me.

I pulled the clothes on, and had to admit that Alice did a good job of making sure I was comfortable. The jeans were a skinny fit and light grey and were very comfortable. The sweater, which Alice had bought me for my birthday, was a dark blue cable knit sweater. With this she handed me a pair of dark brown suede boots and my brown bomber jacket.

"You look great by the way Alice," I told her, and she grinned. She was wearing leather ankle boots, black leggings and a pink strapless ruched dress. Alice was a trust fund baby, and had nothing but designer clothes in her closet. From time to time she also bought me clothes, with the argument that she might as well spend the money she had.

"I know. Now sit down so I can fix you hair and make up."

Ten minutes later we waiting in the lobby for the rest of our group to arrive. I wrapped a scarf around my neck and sat down on a couch that looked more like a museum object than a working piece of furniture. It didn't take long for the others to arrive, and I laughed when Emmett lifted me from the ground. He truly was the big brother I never had.

I saved Edward to last, trying to decide whither or not to hug him. To not hug him might seem suspicious since I hugged everyone else, but to hug him might be more than I could handle.

But when I saw him, looking gorgeous in jeans and a grey peacoat over a blue dress shirt, I was overcome with the feeling of touching him.

"Nice to see you Edward." I managed to give him a small smile, and felt my heartbeat rise up when he gave a crooked grin in return.

"You too." It took a split of a second, and then he hesitantly reached out and wrapped his arms around my middle. The moment his hands touched my waist I felt the same electrical feeling that always came over me if we touched. My own arms hugged his middle, and I could feel the heat from his body.

Clearing my throat I stepped back, and gave him another small smile. Then I turned to Esme. "So were are we going? I'm starving."

"I was thinking about an Italian restaurant that isn't far from here. How does that sound?"

Everyone agreed, and we started to walk there. Alice called Jasper while we walked and gave him the address so that he could meet us there, which lead to a very disturbing 'you hang up first' conversation. I rolled my eyes at her, and stuck my hands in my pockets. There was a light snowfall out, and I looked at the snowflakes that fell and melted on my jacket.

"How've you been?"

I looked up to see Edward walking beside me, his hands stuck in his jeans pockets. His hair was as disheveled as it was every time I saw him, and my fingers itched to run through it. "Fine. You?"

"I've been good. It's been a bit stressful with finding a house in Forks before the end of the year, but I've found one."

Damn, I'd almost forgotten that he was starting at Forks High after New Years. "Are you excited about the new job?"

"Yeah, I am. It's going to feel a bit strange though, because I went to high school there, but I'm still excited. Am I going to have you in any of my classes?"

I snorted, and got a curious look in return. "I don't have a musical bone in my body, so I didn't choose the music class this year."

He laughed softly; a wonderful sound to my ears. "Well, I don't believe that. I know Esme is a wonderful piano player, some of it must have rubbed off on you. It's a fact that parents with music talents often pass it along to their children."

I nearly halted with shock. Esme hadn't told him? Before I could respond we reached the restaurant. I was still so shocked from his statement that I didn't notice that we were lead to a table. I finally snapped out of it when I someone pulled out my chair for me, and I turned my head. Edward was standing there, a look in his eyes that I didn't recognize. I gave him a small smile and sat down. My jacket, it seemed, I had alrady removed, and I hung it on the back of the chair.

Jasper was sitting next to me, and he gave me a smile. The look I gave him in return can't have been pretty, because he frowned, and placed his hand on my knee. His touch instantly calmed me down, and I sent him a grateful smile. He was the only person I knew who was able to calm people down by only his touch. This ability of his had proven to be very handy when it came to Alice, and he could calm her down even in her worst moods.

The waiter arrived, a man in his thirties with a dark complexion and long hair in dreadlocks tied at the nape of his neck. When he spoke, it was with a French accent. How ironic, seeing as we were in an Italian restaurant. "Hello, my name is Laurent and I'll be your server this evening. Can I start you out with something to drink?"

As I ordered my coke, I became aware that he was leering at me, and I felt my face flush red. I looked down at my lap, where I was tearing my napkin into a million small pieces. A few minutes passed before he came back with our drinks, and I kept my head stubbornly bent down.

A throat was cleared, and I looked up to see Edward standing up, his glass in one hand. "I just want to announce a toast to Carlisle and Esme. May life always be kind to you. You deserve the best, and I hope that it will come to you."

"Yeah, and party hard!" came Emmett's booming voice, and we all laughed.

"To Carlisle and Esme." Edward continued, raising his glass.

"To Carlisle and Esme," we said in chorus, and I raised my glass before taking a sip. Edward sat down, and got a pat on the shoulder from Esme, who looked like she was about to cry. The waiter came back, and this time he was so close he was almost touching me. Jasper saw this, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and kissing the top of my head.

"Are you ready to order?"

I ordered the Mushroom Ravioli and when the waiter left, Jasper's arm dropped from my shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked, and I nodded, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Jasper went back to talk to Emmett about the Super Bowl, and I joined Alice and Rosalie in a conversation about the wedding tomorrow. Feeling someone looking at me I raised my eyes, only to find Edward staring at me, a look I couldn't identify in his eyes. It startled me, and I quickly turned my head back to Alice.

The food arrived, and I almost moaned at the taste of my mushroom ravioli. It was absolutely delicious. For the next couple of hours we ate, talked, and laughed. It was nearing midnight when we finally decided to leave, but I wasn't tired in the least. I stood up and started to put on my jacket, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I turned my head to see Edward standing directly behind me. His green eyes were dark, and seemed to look right through me.

"Let me," his voice was low, and like liquid velvet. I could feel my knees go weak. He held up my jacket, and I stuck my arms through the hold. Edward pushed the jacket up my shoulders, and I thought I felt his fingers brush against the back of my neck, but then he was gone. I stood perplexed for a second, until Alice's voice rang through.

"You coming, Bella?"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

--

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It was one thirty in the morning, and I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay in the hotel room anymore, so I grabbed my wallet and room key before pulling a hoodie over my sweater and stepping into my worn out chucks. The hallway was deserted, as was expected at a time like this. Alice and Jasper had gone back to their dorms, and were meeting us at noon at the church tomorrow. Rosalie and Emmett had gone back to their hotel room after getting back from the restaurant, as had Carlisle and Esme.

I didn't bother waiting for the elevator; instead I walked the flights of stairs down to the lobby, where the hotel bar was located. I wasn't going to drink or anything, I just needed a change of scenery. The hotel bar was nearly deserted as well, and the bartender eyed me when I walked up to the bar, as if he knew I wasn't old enough to drink.

"Do you serve hot chocolate?" I asked, brushing my bangs from my eyes.

"Yes, we do. Would you like whipped cream on top?"

I nodded. "Yes, please."

As he made it, I looked around the bar. There were dark paneled walls and green heavy curtains which reminded me of Gone with the wind. Dark, comfy looking armchairs lined the walls, just begging for someone to sit down in them.

"Here you go miss. That's 5 dollars."

I handed him a five dollar bill and accepted the mug of steaming hot chocolate. I took it over to a pair of armchairs in the back, and placed the mug on the coffee table before kicking off my shoes. I folded my legs underneath me as I sat down and picked up the mug, blowing slightly on the hot liquid before taking a sip. It tasted heavenly, and I snuggled deeper into the plushy armchair.

"Bella?"

I looked up, and was surprised to see Edward standing there. He was wearing sweatpants and a Yale sweatshirt, and his hair was messier than I'd ever seen it.

"Mind if I sit down?" he gestured to the empty armchair opposite from me, and I shook my head.

"Not at all." I took another sip of my chocolate. A comfortable silence laid between us.

He broke the silence first. "You couldn't sleep?"

"No, I couldn't. You?"

A low chuckle left his lips. "Me neither. I've never really had trouble sleeping before, so it surprised me a bit."

I offered him a small smile. "Tomorrow's the big day, huh?"

The crooked grin appeared on his face. "Today, actually." Another second, and his smile disappeared. "Did I upset you earlier? When I said the thing about musical talent being passed on through blood, I mean."

I thought about how to formulate my answer for a second, and then spoke up. "Esme isn't my biological mother."

The look on his face could only be described as shock, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "I'm sorry,"

"It's okay, you didn't know. So how did you end up with Carlisle?" I changed the topic, sensing the familiar pain as I thought about my mother's betrayal.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?" He offered, and I nodded. "It happened when I was 14. My parents, Edward Sr. and Elizabeth Masen were on their way home from a gala at the hospital my father worked at. Somehow, my father lost the control of the car and they landed upside down in a ditch. They died instantly. I was going to be put in foster care, but Carlisle, who was a friend and co-worker of my father, took me in. He already had Emmett, who was eight at the time. We've been a family since."

"That's terrible."

He shrugged. "I guess so. Don't get me wrong, I still miss them, but it was an accident. I've made peace with it a long time ago, I knew it wasn't no one's fault."

I realized then why I could never get over my parents deaths. I blamed them; especially my mother. She had a choice, and she chose to leave me. Another thing he said caught my attention. "What about Emmett? What happened to his parents?"

"No one knows. He was left at the front steps of the hospital Carlisle was doing his intership at when he was just a few weeks old. There was a note that only said that his name was Emmett McCarthy, and to take care of him." Edward leaned forwards in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's your turn now. How did you end up with Esme?"

I sighed. "I was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Charlie and Renée Swan. Charlie worked as a police officer in Desert View County and Renée was a kindergarten teacher. When I was ten, my father was killed in a police shooting involving illegal dog fighting. I didn't understand it at the time, my mother only told me that he had gone to heaven. I did notice though that she was becoming depressed. Some days she wouldn't even get out of bed, and those days I had to make myself breakfast and get to school. About a month after my father's death, I came home to find her with her wrists slit in the bathtub. I was set up for adoption, and spent a month in a group home before Esme adopted me. We lived in Phoenix for about two years before moving up to Forks, which is where Esme is born. Then, a few years ago she met Carlisle, and the rest you know." I took a sip of my chocolate, which had now gone cold, so I set the mug down on the table.

"I'm sorry, I honestly had no idea." Edward looked apologetically at me, but I brushed him off.

"No need to be sorry, it was a long time ago."

"But you're still not over it, are you?"

I shook my head, looking down at my hands. I really needed to stop biting my nails. "I'm not. I can't forgive my mother for making the decision to leave me. I understand it must have been hard for her, but it doesn't justify her actions." My tone said that I wanted to finish this discussion, and Edward didn't press the matter. Stifling a yawn, I looked at the time and was shocked to see that it was three am. "I should go to bed so I'll get some sleep before tomorrow."

"Off course. I'm going to stay down here for a while, if you don't mind." He ran a hand through his hair.

"No, off course. See you tomorrow."

Edward smiled at me. "Goodnight Bella."

I smiled back. "Goodnight Edward."

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, so I tried to update this about 4 hours ago, but the site was all weird. Anyway, I'm updating now instead =) This is the much awaited wedding chapter =) I know I've been updating like crazy this week, but don't expect an update every two days. I've almost run though my backload of chapters, so it's going to take a while to write more. But don't stress, updates won't be further apart than a week, a week and a half at the most. One more thing before I end this rambling; every wedding detail described (almost) can be found by links on my profile. On with the show, and don't forget to review.**

**Dislaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything. **

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 9**

Alice was driving me fucking crazy. From the moment she came knocking on my door at 9 am and declared that I looked horrible, she hadn't left me alone one second. It was currently time for us to ride to the church, where everyone would get ready. As we climbed into the backseat of the limo Carlisle had rented, I could see on Esme's face that she was nervous. I squeezed her hand and offered her a smile.

When we arrived at the church, Alice started running around to make sure that everything was in order. The rest of us went back into the room where we would be spending our time up until the ceremony began, and I sunk down on a couch.

"You tired honey?" Esme asked, stroking my hair lightly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I didn't fall asleep until three last night."

"And it shows. Honestly Bella, you look like a zombie." Came Alice's voice as she jumped into the room. And by jumped, I mean jumped.

"Alice, play nice," Esme told her. "Why don't you sit down for a while? The hair dresser isn't coming for another half an hour, and there's nothing you can do until then. Just relax."

With those words, Alice sunk down in the couch next to me, spent. "This is stressful."

I giggled. "Imagine how it'll be on your wedding. You'll have a coronary before you turn thirty."

Alice giggled. "I'm not going to have to wait that long."

I raised an eyebrow, and then my jaw dropped as I realized what she was saying. "Jasper proposed?" my voice was hushed, but she still shushed me. "When?"

"Last night. Oh Bella, it was so romantic." Alice practically swooned.

"So when are you getting married?"

"After Jasper graduates." She got that love sick smile on her face, and I couldn't help but to smile too. "You have to be my maid of honour Bella."

"Off course I will!" I hugged her, and I laughed when I heard her squeal in my ear.

"What are the two of you so happy about?" I looked up, and saw Rose standing there, one hand on her hip.

"Jasper proposed!" Alice squealed, and threw herself in Rose's arms. After that it was all just a big squealing thing, and I was starting to get a headache. I rose from the couch and went to get a Tylenol, but when I opened the door I almost crashed into a tall woman with fiery red hair. This was the hair dresser, and Esme came up to greet her.

"I'm Victoria," the red head said, "and these are my people."

It suddenly seemed that people were just welling into the room. I was pushed down into a chair, and then a very feminine looking man started with my hair. For the next forty minutes, I had no idea what was happening to since there wasn't a mirror in front of me. I sneaked a peak at the others, and saw that they were nearly done. Alice's hair had been side parted, and was sleek and elegant, a far cry from her usual spiky do. Esme's hair was up in an elegant updo with two crystal hair sticks stuck into it. Rosalie's hair, I assumed, would be styled like mine since we had similar hair lengths. Sure enough, when I looked into the mirror after I was done, my style mirrored Rose's. It was side parted with sweeping bangs and glamorous waves.

There was a knock on the door, and aunt Irina stepped in. She wouldn't be in the wedding party, but was going to be here to help Esme with her dress and such.

She gasped when she saw us. "You all look beautiful."

After eating a light lunch, it was time to do the make up. Luckily, this was Alice's forte, and it kept her calm for an hour or two. As the clock drew nearer and nearer to four, I started to get nervous too. Esme's nerves seemed to have melted away, and she was as cool as a cucumber.

Seeing Esme in her dress nearly caused me to start crying. She looked too beautiful for words. The dress was a mermaid style with a slight train, and ivory in colour. There was a lace overlay with beading on the bodice and skirt, and strapless. With it was a jewelled sash and a short sleeved lace bolero.

"You look unbelievingly beautiful," I told her, trying to control the tears that I felt coming up. Esme's eyes watered too, and then she wrapped me in her arms, hugging me tight.

"It means everything to me that you're here. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I am your daughter, in every sense of the word except the biological one, and I wouldn't miss this for the world." In the middle of our hugging and trying not to cry, Alice spoke up.

"Bella, I love you more than anything, but if you're not fully dresses within ten minutes I'll dress you myself."

Laughingly I pulled away from Esme, and wiped at a stray tear that fell down my cheek. "I'll get dressed now Alice, calm down."

Finding the dress bag I took out the dress, and then peeled off the oversized button down shirt Alice forced me into earlier today so I wouldn't ruin my hair and make up while getting dressed. I was a bit self-conscious with standing half naked in front of the others, but when I stole a glance at them I saw that no one was paying any attention to me. Quickly I stripped of my shoes and jeans before stepping into the dress. I pulled the strap over my head, and turned my head when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll zip you up," Rose smiled, and I gave her one too. The sound of the zipper closing, and then I spun around the face the mirror. The dress was floor length with a halterneck style and a sash that tied into a bow in the front. The colour was midnight blue, with the halter strap and sash in a wheat colour. I felt beautiful, and I smoothed down the skirt before turning to face the others.

Alice and Rose were already dressed, and looking even more beautiful than I did, even though we were wearing the same thing. But for once, I didn't care if they looked more beautiful than me.

"You look incredible, Bella," Alice smiled, and Rose agreed.

"Thank you. You two look amazing as well." I bent down to retrieve the shoes from the garment bag. Unfortunately I hadn't been able to talk Alice into letting me wear a lower heel version of her and Rose's four inch shoes, and I prayed to God that my clumsiness wouldn't show today. I didn't want to ruin anything for Esme.

"Sit down, I'll help you with the shoes," Alice offered at the death glare I gave her when I unsuccessfully tried to put on the shoes. I sat down carefully to not wrinkle the dress, and Alice helped me on with the shoes. They were really nice shoes, ivory and strappy. It was only the four-inch-heel that I was worried about. "There, you are all set. Which is a good thing because it's only half an hour left."

"Do you have all your things Esme?" Rose asked, picking up her bouquet which consisted of a small bouquet of ivory roses.

"Yes, I have. My dress is new, my earrings are borrowed, my garter is blue and my bracelet is old." Esme replied, picking up her bouquet.

Alice grinned. "It's time."

The three of us walked out to the foyer, and saw that everyone had arrived. A low whistle behind us caused us to turn around. Emmett and Jasper came towards us, both of them looking great in his tux with a midnight coloured tie. Jasper lightly pecked Alice's lips to not ruin her lipstick, while Emmett took a more direct approach. Honestly, that man had no sense of keeping things private. After having to witness their couple stuff for a few minutes, I was getting restless. Up until now, I had forgotten that Edward would be escorting me down the aisle. But now it caught up with me. A cleared throat behind me alerted me of his presence. Speak of the devil...

I turned around slowly to avoid tripping over my own feet, and nearly fell down anyway because when I saw Edward, my knees went weak. He was dressed like Jasper and Emmett, but somehow he looked even better than they did. Maybe it was the sex hair. It seemed like his eyes were darken than usual, and I forced myself not to jump into his arms. That would have been awkward.

"Wow," he said, the crooked grin appearing on his face. "You look amazing."

Realizing how my blush must clash with the dress, I tried to cool down. It probably didn't work. "Thank you."

Then Carlisle appeared, looking cool as a cucumber. I gave him a small hug, whispering how glad I was that we was joining our family. Then, it was time.

Carlisle walked first, the only sign of his nerves how he wrung his hands behind his back. Then the church's organist started to play Wagner's Bridal Chorus, and everybody stood up. Rosalie and Emmett walked first, Rose's mouth in a bright smile as the camera flashes went off around her. Next were Alice and Jasper, who gave my hand a squeeze before following his fiancée down the aisle. Last, but not least, it was mine and Edward's turn. He held out his arm to me, and when I grasped it I saw that my hand was shaking.

"You better hold on tight, otherwise I'm going to fall in these heels," I muttered as we started walking. He chuckled low, and I grinned. The walk down the aisle didn't seem to take that long, and soon I let go off Edward to take my place next to Alice and Rose. I nearly screamed with joy that I hadn't tripped, but showed my happiness in a bright smile instead.

Then, the doors opened and Esme stepped out. My eyes first went to Carlisle, who looked as moved as I'd ever seen him. Esme's eyes were fixated on him, a loving smile on her lips. It was then that I realized that this is what life's about. Finding that one person that you love more than anything, and share the rest of your life with them.

Tears pooled out of my eyes as Esme joined Carlisle up front, and the ceremony began. Sniffing could be heard throughout the church, and I tried to brush away the tears, realizing that I had to show my face at the reception like this. As Carlisle started with his vows, I found myself glancing over at Edward. What surprised me was that he was looking right back at me, a soft smile on his face but an intent look in his eyes. I tore my eyes away just in time to hear the final words from the priest.

"By the power invested in me from God, and the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Normally, one would be a little uncomfortable seeing your parental figures kissing a little to passionately for church, but I didn't care. I only clapped my hands with the biggest shit eating grin on my face.

"I give you, Dr. and Mrs. Carlisle Cullen."

The next half an hour went in a blur. Esme and Carlisle left in the limo, and Alice, Jasper, Edward and me all packed ourselves in Alice's small yellow Porsche. It might have been a tight fit, but man did we look cool on our way to the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, where the reception would be held place.

Because of the traffic, we were amongst the last to arrive, and we hadn't been there for more than ten minutes when Carlisle and Esme arrived. I hugged them both tightly, and wished them the best of luck.

As we sat down to eat dinner, I remembered that it was time for the speeches now. I took out the small, rumpled piece of paper from my purse, and laid it down on the table. Standing up, I clinkered my glass. Immediately, I had everybody's attention. I felt my face turn beat red, and I took a few breaths to calm myself down before speaking.

"Esme's been like a mother to me for many years, and I could not asked for a better one. I've seen a few guys come and go over the years, but none of them stuck around for long. That was mostly because I didn't like them, and what I thought of the guy she was dating as always a top priority to Esme. The first thing she did when she and Carlisle got serious was to introduce me to him, and I have to say Esme, I definatly approve." Scattered laughter could be heard in the room, but I paid no attention to them. I only had eyes for Esme, who was looking up at me with teary eyes. "Ever since Carlisle has been a part of our lives she has been a happier person, and if Esme is happy then I'm happy. I wish the both of you all the best in the world, and I love you. Congratulations!"

I was only vaguely aware of the applause I received as I sat down again. The only thing that mattered was the smile on Esme's face. I became aware that Edward was saying his speech, but to this day I still can't remember what he said.

After eating it was time for cutting the cake, and I laughed when Esme smashed the cake into Carlisle's pretty face. Esme tossed the bouquet, and it was no surprise that Alice caught it, even though she was about six inches shorter than everyone else, even with her heels on. When Carlisle bent down to get the garter I blushed, but laughed when Carlisle tossed it in the air, and Emmett caught it. He looked like he didn't know whither to be disgusted his step-mother had just been wearing it.

Then off course; the dancing. Carlisle and Esme twirled out on the dance floor to the sounds of Shania Twain's From This Moment. I got teary eyed again as I watched them.

"They look so happy," Alice appeared on my right.

I smiled and nodded at her. "They do."

Jasper appeared next to Alice, and offered her his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

She smiled, the love she held for him evident in her eyes. "Always."

They joined Carlisle and Esme on the dance floor, and soon more and more people started to dance. As I returned to get another glass of Champagne, I almost crashed into Edward. He smiled at me.

"May I have this dance?"

"I don't dance." Lame, I know.

"It's tradition for the best man and maid of honour to dance together," he shot back, grinning at me.

I chuckled. "Fine, but don't blame me if you leave with a few broken toes tonight; I did warn you." I accepted his outstretched hand, causing my skin to tingle, and he lead me to the dance floor. As we reached it, the band started playing another song, and I smiled slightly when I recognized it as At Last by Etta James. It was one of Esme's favourites, and she always used to listen to this when I was younger.

Nerves kicking in, I carefully gripped Edward's shoulder. The hand that was on my waist seemed to burn right through the fabric, and I gave a small gasp when he pulled me closer. We started to move with the music, and I stifled a giggle when I saw Rosalie and Emmett waltzing passed us. Emmett tipped his imaginary hat at me and winked before twirling Rose. Edward followed my gaze, and he chuckled. I could feel his chest vibrate, we were so close to each other. The air between us was sparkling with tension, and I saw him open his mouth, as if to say something. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you want to see it, the song ended.

I pulled away from him, and offered him a smile. "I'm going to get something to drink."

One glass of champagne and two hours later, it was time for Carlisle and Esme to leave for their honeymoon. Edward followed them to their car while the rest of us gathered together all the stuff. I yawned and looked at the time. Shit, no wonder I was so tired! It was nearly one in the morning. Edward came back, with both of our jackets in his hand.

"You ready to go back home?"

I nodded. "Let me just say goodbye, okay?"

I found Alice and Jasper first, and hugged them both tightly. Rose and Emmett were doing God knows what, and based on Rose's giggling I didn't want to interrupt.

"Goodnight Rose! Night Emmett!" I called out to them, and they called back.

Edward helped me on with my jacket, and after changing my shoes into my comfortable Chucks, we went to his car. My bag had already been put in earlier, and we had checked out from the hotel before we left for the church this morning.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked when we had drive for a while. I guess he saw me shivering.

"Yeah, a bit."

He put the heater on, and I closed my eyes at the feeling of the warm air hitting my face. Soft, classical music filled the car, and I looked at him.

"Clair de Lune?"

"You like classical music?"

I shrugged. "My mother used to play some when I was young. I only know my favourites."

"Clair de Lune is one of my favourites too."

I gave him a small smile, and then snuggled up against the window. The soft music and heat coming from the car made me more and more tired, until it finally lulled me to sleep.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I just gotta get one thing of my chest before I say anything else... NEW MOON WEEK :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D *ends fan girl squeal*  
Okay, so this is the new update, I hope you like it. I PROBABLY won't update until the weekend; chapter 11 isn't fully written yet, and I'd like to start chapter 12 as well so that I got something to continue writing when I've posted. I work better that way. One more thing before you can start reading; the 50th reviewer will get an exclusive tease from a future chapter. You know what that means; start reviewing, people! On with the show =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I do own all the books, a poster, the Twilight DVD, and a very nice ticket to New Moon on Sunday =)**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 10**

"Bella, wake up. We're home."

When I unwillingly opened my eyes I saw that we were back in Forks. It didn't look like it was raining, and the moon was out. I looked at Edward, and nearly gasped with how utterly beautiful he was in the moonlight. I gave him a sleepy smile, and moved to unfasten my seatbelt. Before I could move another inch, Edward was out of the car and opening my door. I stepped out of the car, pulling my jacket closer to my body. We walked silently to the front door, which Edward unlocked before opening it. He let me go in first, and then closed the door behind us.

"Goodnight Edward," I gave him a small smile.

"Goodnight Bella. Sweet dreams."

I climbed up the stairs slowly, fighting the tiredness that invaded my body. I sloppily removed my make up and brushed out my hair before going back to my room. I didn't even bother unpacking, I just took off my dress and hung it up on a hanger before pulling on my pyjamas and climbing into bed. I was asleep within the minute.

--

It was strange, walking through the house without Esme or Carlisle there. Edward was writing in a brown leather journal when I stepped into the kitchen at noon the following day.

"Morning," he smiled, putting down the journal and closing it. "Coffee?"

"Please," I muttered. I wasn't hungover, since I'd only had two glasses of champagne, but I was really tired and felt physically whacked.

"I was thinking about going grocery shopping in a little while, since there's not much here. Would you like to join me?"

I nodded. "Just let me eat and shower first."

As I stood in the shower a while later, I thought about what I was doing. On one hand I was so drawn to Edward that it almost hurt, but on the other hand it seemed like everything was so easy going with him. I didn't think about how he didn't want me every time I saw him. Sure, it was there at the back of my mind, but unless something directly brought it on, I didn't really think about it.

Toweling off the water, I wrapped one towel around my body and the other one around my hair before stepping out of the bathroom. I was walking down the hallway towards my room when he came up the stairs. He froze when he saw me, and my reaction was similar. I felt my face turn beet red, and I hurried into my room. My face was still burning when I joined him downstairs ten minutes later. It shouldn't have been that bad; I knew he'd seen me in less. But that was when we were both drunk, and I doubted he remembered any of it. At least, I hoped he didn't remember anything.

"I've written a list of everything we need, but if you want anything else just let me know, okay?"

"Sure. Can I drive?"

He seemed taken aback by my request, but nodded. "Off course. You ready to go?"

I grabbed my car keys and jacket and went outside. It wasn't raining, and it didn't look like it would start either. I got into my car and connected my iPod, browsing through the playlists for a suitable one. Edward stepped in, and I drove off. It was nice, driving. It didn't allow much thought for anything else, so it was a nice distraction from Edward.

"Do you want anything special tonight?" Edward asked as he grabbed a cart.

"No, not really. Whatever you want is fine."

Edward smiled. "Lasagna it is."

As I put some vegetables into the cart, I heard a voice I **did not **want to hear.

"Bella, oh my god. I didn't know you were back yet. Was the wedding beautiful?"

"Hi Jess. Yeah, we got back last night."

Jessica seemed to notice Edward for the first time, and gave him a 'sexy' look.

"Hi there. And you are?"

"I'm Edward, Carlisle Cullen's oldest son." Ever the gentleman, Edward held out his hand to Jessica. She accepted it, and tried to flutter her eyelashes at him, trying to look sexy. She just looked retarded.

"Nice to meet you Edward," she cooed. "I hope to see more of you soon. See you tomorrow Bella."

Great, now she would be all over me tomorrow. "Bye Jess." She left, swaying her hips. She looked kind of comical.

"She's a friend of yours?" Edward asked, and I shrugged.

"Sort of. Do we need any tomatoes?"

--

"Okay Bella, spill." Were the first words out of Jess' mouth in Trig the next morning.

"There's nothing to spill. He's going to be watching the house while Carlisle and Esme are in Italy, that's all."

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly Bella, do I have to drag the information out of you?"

No, just leave me alone. "There's still nothing to say. I don't know that much about him." Except that he's a great kisser.

"Come on, you have to know something!"

I was ready to throttle her. "Fine. He'll start working here next term. He's the new music teacher."

After the squeal that left her mouth, I tuned her out. It wasn't until lunch that the topic of Edward came up again, when Jessica told Lauren all about the 'hot new teacher'.

"Okay, so there's an end of the year party at my place tonight." Mike said, and everyone around the table cheered. Except me. "Bella, don't even think about not coming tonight. It's mandatory for all seniors," he grinned.

"Fine, I'll be there," I promised, just to get him off my back. The rest of the day went by quikly, it seemed that the teachers were anxious to go on holiday too.

"I'll pick you up at seven, okay?" Jessica said as we parted by my car.

"Sure. See you later."

The only reason Jessica wanted to pick me up was so that she could get another chance to see Edward, but it worked out fine for me. It meant I didn't have to leave my car at Mike's house. Edward wasn't home when I arrived, but had left a note saying he was over at his new house and that he'd be back with dinner later. True enough, just before seven I heard his car in the driveway.

"Are you going out?" he asked when he saw me, probably confused by my outfit. I was wearing a short denim skirt paired with my Chucks and a long sleeved t-shirt.

"Yeah, Mike's having a party tonight. Jess is picking me up in ten minutes."

"Oh, okay." He set down the pizza boxes he's been carrying on the kitchen island. "You call me when you want to go home."

"You don't have to, I'll just hitch a ride with someone else."

He shook his head. "I promised Esme adn Carlisle that I'd take care of you, and it would make me feel better knowing you'll be home safe.

"Okay." I managed to eat two slices before I heard Jessica's car in the driveway. "See you later." I grabbed my jacket and went out to Jess. She seemed disappointed she didn't get to see Edward, but masked it well.

"Party, WOHO!" She giggled as she tore out from our driveway, and I silently wondered what I'd gotten myself into.

You could hear the music blasting from Mike's house out on the street, and I pulled down my skirt as I walked up to the front door. Jess seemed to be going all out tonight, and was wearing a short slinky number with heels that made her taller than me. The first thing that greeted me by the door was Mike, who looked like he'd gotten a few drinks in him already.

"Bella," his puppy eyes lit up. "You look incredibly hot! Can I get you something to drink?"

"No thanks Mike, I'll get it myself." I made my way to the kitchen, where a keg and various other drinks were. Remembering what happened last time I got drunk, I decided to not get as wasted, and filled a cup with beer. Out in the living-room, someone had pushed back the couches and made a dance floor. Lauren and Jessica were currently dancing with each other, or more like rubbing up against each other, trying to look hot for the guys. And dare I say it worked. Guys can be so disgusting sometimes. I didn't dance. Instead, I stood back and drank my beer. Then my beer was exchanged for a rum and coke.

Within two hours, I was drunk.

As I laughed at the fact that the room was spinning, my phone rang. Laughing at Tyler's attempt to dance, I answered it.

"Hello?" I had to shout over the music, and I nearly spilled out my glass of vodka.

"Bella?"

I grinned widely. "Alice! Hi!"

"Bella, where are you?"

"I'm at Mike's. I'm drunk," I giggled.

"You called my name?" Mike appeared in front of me, and for the first time I noticed that he was actually pretty good looking. In my drunken mind, pretty boy equaled making out, so I grinned widely at him.

"I've gotta go Alice, I'm gonna make out with Mike. See ya!" Somehow I managed to get my phone back into my skirt pocket before I all but threw myself at Mike. He was caught of guard and stumbled backwards into the wall. I knocked back what was left in my glass before attacking Mike's mouth with mine. I may have dropped my glass on the floor, because suddenly it wasn't in my hand anymore.

Mike and I kissed drunkenly and sloppily, and I could feel his hands on my ass. My phone rang again, but I ignored it. Instead, I broke away from Mike's mouth but grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Upstairs," I panted. "Now." We stumbled upstairs, and into what I assumed was Mike's room.

We fell onto the bed, and Mike's mouth found my neck. In some part of my drunken brain I registered that this was Mike, and that I should push him away. Still, I couldn't get my body to cooperate. Before I knew it, we had rolled over so that I was on top, straddling him. His hands were gripping my thighs roughly as we kissed, moving up to grab my ass underneath my skirt.

Then, the door flew open. Both Mike and I turned our heads, and I gasped when I saw Edward standing in the doorway, looking livid.

"Dude, occupied," Mike slurred. Edward stalked into the room, and grabbed my by the arm, forcing me off Mike.

"Hey, let go off me." I protested, trying to pull my arm from his grip. He paid no attention to me however, and like a caveman he simply slung me over his shoulder and stalked downstairs. I was screaming at him to let me go, pounding my fists into his back. I noticed that we were outside when I started to get goosebumps, and I could feel myself sobering up. Edward put me down, and when I looked into his eyes I saw that they were almost black with rage.

"Be quiet and get in the car," he all but sneered at me, and opened the door. Pouting and crossing my arms in front of me, I got into the car. I turned my body towards the window, fuming. Who the fuck did he think he was? What gave him the right to interrupt like that? Somehow, I was sobering up, and realized just what I had been doing. I'd been straddling _Mike_ for God's sake; while he had his hands on my ass. Oh God.

I gave Edward the silent treatment during the ride, and when he pulled up in front of the house I rushed out. I slammed the front door behind me before kicking off my shoes. Esme didn't want us to wear shoes inside the house. I barely made it to the stairs before Edward caught up with me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Me? What the hell are **you** doing? You had no right just barging in there!" I screamed back. I was now almost completely sober, and I was so pissed off at him.

"You were drunk! He was taking advantage of you!"

"You're out of your fucking mind!" He seemed taken aback by my language. "Besides, it's none of your fucking business what I do and with whom."

"The fuck it is!" now it was my turn to be shocked. I'd never heard that kind of language from him before. "I'm supposed to look after you, and that includes NOT letting you fuck some guy while you're drunk!"

I snorted. "Well, you would know all about that, wouldn't you." His eyes almost bulged out of his head. I took a step closer to him. "Just because you don't want to fuck me doesn't that mean that no one else doesn't!"

This sort of broke him, I think. He only stood staring at me. I was about to go upstairs, but he did something I was not expecting.

He kissed me.

**Okay, so don't hate me. Remember, reviews make me update faster =) Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Everyone excited raise a hand! Unfortunately I haven't seen it yet; I'm planning on going tomorrow in the afternoon to avoid all the screaming fans.  
I know some of you *cough* Mercyrus *cough* has been very anxious in the waiting for this chapter, and I hope I please everyone. Also, remember that review number 50 gets a teaser froman upcoming chapter. On with the show =)  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I do own TWO tickets to New Moon, I'm going on Sunday and Tuesday**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 11**

He kissed me. He fucking kissed me. Despite that I was pissed off at him, I felt my body responding. I pushed myself closer to him, and threaded my fingers through his hair. A small moan left my mouth, and this seemed to break whatever spell had come over us. He gently shoved me away, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What am I doing?" he muttered.

"Edward?" my voice was meek, and I reached out to touch his arm.

He pulled away, and I felt a stabbing feeling in my chest. "Just, go to sleep Bella. We'll talk in the morning. I need to think."

A sudden wave of nausea rolled over me, and I rushed up the stairs. I made it inside the bathroom just in time, and I dived towards the toilet. Gaining some comfort in the fact that I wasn't throwing up because of a relapse, but from the alcohol, I sat back on my heels when I was done.

As I settled into bed a few minutes later, something struck me. How did Edward know where I was?

--

I felt like shit when I woke up, and started my day by popping two Tylenol in my bathroom. After that I got into my loungewear, consisting of a pair of sweatpants, my Severus Snape t-shirt and a grey hoodie that had once been Jasper's. It was so big and comfy that on days like these I rarely wore something else.

There was no sign of Edward when I got downstairs, and he didn't appear when I ate breakfast either. I was on my way back to my room when the sound of piano music stopped me. The sad yet hopeful notes of Clair de Lune reached my ears, and I walked slowly towards it.

Edward was sitting by the piano, a look of pure concentration on his face as he played. I studied him for a second, from the slight frown on his face to the way his slender fingers played across the keys. When he stopped playing, I spoke up.

"That was beautiful," I said softly, and he turned his head at the sound of my voice.

A small crooked grin appeared on his face. "Thank you."

"Will you play something else?"

Edward patted the spot next to him on the piano bench, and I walked carefully up to him and sat down. Because of the size of the bench, our thighs were touching, and I could feel the heat from his body even through two layers of pants.

Then he started to play, and I recognized the melody as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. My eyes were almost glued to the way his fingers played across the keys, creating tones with such sadness and longing in them. When the song was finished his hands slid down into his lap.

I don't know how long I sat just staring at his hands. Remembering what he'd said last night, I broke the silence. "You wanted to talk?"

"Why did you do it?"

I realized at once what he was talking about, and shame and regret filled my body. "I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I was sad, and he was there." I turned my head to look at him. "How did you know where I was?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I got a phone call last night from Alice. She was hysterical, saying that you were drunk and was about to make out with a guy named Mike." He paused, and when he spoke again his voice was lower, almost a whisper. "Are you in love with him?"

I nearly fell of the bench in shock. "With Mike? No, God no! I don't even like him! Fuck, he's going to be unbearable at school."

A small chuckle left Edward's mouth. He was about to say something, but then the doorbell rang. The moment was broken, and we both scrambled to get downstairs. I opened the door, and couldn't believe my eyes.

Mike Fucking Newton was standing outside, looking nervous and a bit hungover. He grinned when he saw me, I shuddered when he practically eye fucked me.

"Hey Bella,"

I forced myself to smile. "Hey Mike. Did you want something?"

Mike blushed. "I thought we could go out for breakfast?"

Oh crap. This was what I had been afraid of. "Look Mike, about last night-"

"It was amazing," he interrupted me, and got a disturbingly dreamy look on his face.

Realizing that nothing but a direct and a bit harsh approach was going to get through to him, I snapped my fingers in front of his face. He snapped out of whatever state he was in, but looked at me like he wanted to take me up against the front door. Ew.

"Look Mike, I was drunk. Really drunk. And I'm sorry if you think it was more than that, but it wasn't. I was just lonely and a bit sad and I did something I would never do if I was sober. I don't like you like that Mike, you know that. I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings, but it's the truth."

He seriously looked like someone just died, and he got that puppy look he always got when I told him no. "Oh. Okay. I'll see you in school then. Happy holiday." Then he turned around, got into his Suburban, and drove off.

I sighed and went back inside, just in time to hear the phone ring. I answered it in the kitchen, hopping up on the kitchen island. "Hello?"

There was a few seconds of crackling on the phone, then a voice broke through. "Bella?"

I grinned. "Esme! How are you? How's Italy?"

"Oh Bella, it's so beautiful. Today we went to Palatine Hill and the Coliseum, and tomorrow we're going to the Vatican city. Everything is so beautiful, and the food is exquisite!"

"It sounds amazing." I looked up and saw Edward in the doorway. At his questioning look I mouthed 'Esme' at him. He pointed to the phone and then to himself, and I nodded, telling him that I understood. "Listen, Edward wants to talk to you too, so I'll talk to you later okay?"

I could almost hear the smile in Esme's voice. "That would be wonderful. Thank you Bella, and be careful."

"You too, bye." I held out the phone for Edward to take, which he did. He sat down on the stool, only inches from where I was. As he spoke with Esme, I studied him. Pale skin, bronze hair and green eyes that were at the moment filled with happiness. He was smiling, and laughing at something Esme said. I didn't pay any attention to what they were saying, and soon Edward hung up.

After he had put the phone down he looked up at me. "We should have that talk now."

Crap. I was not ready for this. I guess the panic showed on my face, because Edward stood up and lay a hand on my thigh. Yeah, as if that would help keeping me focused.

"Breathe, Bella," he said, looking slightly amused, and I realized that I had been holding my breath.

I took a deep breath. "You gotta give me some answers." He nodded silently, and I continued. "Why did you kiss me?"

He sighed again, looking conflicted. Then he stood up fully, and rested his other hand on the counter by my hip. He moved the other hand to mirror the one on the counter, and leaned in a bit closer to me.

"I'm tired, of staying away from you."

My heart did all kinds of floppy things, and I felt myself staring into his eyes. "Then don't." That crooked grin appeared on his face, and he stepped in even closer. All it would take now was that I slid forward, and I could wrap my legs around him. I was seriously considering that idea at the moment.

His right hand left the counter and made contact with my face, cupping my cheek and gently stroking my cheekbone. I closed my eyes at the sensation, and leaned into his hand. He smelled like honey and sunshine. His fingers glided across my cheek, and then down over my lips. They parted involuntarily, and I swore I heard a sharp intake of air from him. Then his hand slid down to my throat, and I could feel goosebumps starting to break out on my skin. His hand retracted its journey back up to my face, and again cupped my cheek.

"Bella." Something in his voice made me open my eyes, and when I did I realized he was much closer than I thought. He was so close to me that I could see the small golden flecks in his green eyes, and count each of his dark lashes.

"Yes?" I nearly breathed out the word.

"Can I kiss you?"

Oh my God. This was really happening. "Yes!"

In the split of a second he closer the distance between us and pressed his lips against mine. A small moan left my throat, and my hands left their places on my thighs to twist themselves into his hair. I pulled, and he groaned. His lips molded perfectly with mine; as if we had spent our lives doing nothing else but this. His hands left my face and instead curled around my waist, bringing my body close to his. I gave a small whimper as I felt his against my bottom lip, and opened my mouth to invite him in. The moment his tongue touched mine, fireworks exploded behind my shut eyelids and I clung to him desperately. Before I knew it, he had lifted me up, and I swiftly wrapped my legs around his back. We continued kissing as he walked upstairs.

I didn't register where we were going until we landed on his bed, and then I suddenly got nervous. As his hand started to caress my stomach under my shirt, I pulled away. "Edward, wait."

He immediately jumped off me, and sat down at the edge of the bed. "Shit. I'm sorry Bella." He drove a hand through his hair, a tell tale sign that he was frustrated. "Fuck, I can't do anything right."

I lay in shock for a few seconds, confused about what just had happened, before I scrambled up to my knees and sat down next to Edward. I pulled his hand away from his hair and clasped it between mine.

"Stop that. You didn't do anything wrong." I bit my lip. "I just think we need to talk first about this, about us."

He looked at me, a small smile on his lips. "You're right, as usual." He wrapped his long fingers around mine. "Where should we start?"

I said the first thing that entered my mind. "Are we in a relationship?"

"Do you want us to be?"

"I, eh..." Damn! Scared of what he might say, I hesitated. "Do **you** want us to be?"

He gave a low chuckle. "Yes, I do."

My heart nearly stopped. "Really?"

Edward nodded. "Yeah, really."

I grinned. "I would kiss you right now, but we have more things to talk about. Do you think we should tell Carlisle and Esme?"

He thought about it for a second, then slowly shook his head. "I don't think they'll understand. The age difference is-"

"You're not **that** old," I interrupted.

Edward laughed. "No, I'm not. But eight years is a lot, especially since you're so young. People may get the wrong idea, and I don't want that."

"So, we're not telling anyone?"

"I think it's for the best. At least for a while. The fact that I'll be your teacher in January doesn't simplify things.

I squeezed his hand. "We'll figure it out."

"So, next topic?" He looked unsure of himself for a second before he spoke. "Sex."

I blushed and looked down at my hands, and within seconds I was sitting sideways in his lap. He curled his arms around my waist, and lightly stroked the skin exposed between the hem of my hoodie and my sweatpants.

"What about sex?" I asked innocently.

"Last night with Mike." I cringed. Did he have to bring that up? "Would you have slept with him?"

Despite my mortification of being reminded about that horrible mistake, I managed to answer. "No, I don't think so. I was already sobering up when you put me in the car, and I would have stopped him."

He looked relieved. I understood that he didn't want to hear about me sleeping with someone else. I looked at him, tracing my fingers over his sculpted cheekbone and over his perfect lips, which were pulled into a crooked grin. Feeling bold, I pressed my lips lightly to his. The kiss was soft and sweet, and I pulled away before he could deepen it.

I had something I needed to say. "You're the only person I've ever slept with."

He looked a bit stunned, but recovered quickly. "I was your first?" I nodded. Edward buried his face in my neck, and when he spoke I could feel his lips moving against my skin. It made me shiver. "I'm sorry. Your first time should have been champagne and roses, not a one night stand.

"I'm not sorry." I pulled his face from my neck so that I could look at him. "It was perfect. Yeah, I could have done without the drunken part, but I don't regret anything else." I looked down and mumbled the last part. "I'm glad you were my first."

"Could you say that again, I didn't quite catch it."

I looked up, straight into his eyes. "I'm glad you were my first."

Enter crooked grin. "Me too."

My heart soared. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "Yeah. This is going to sound a bit weird, but can we wait?"

"Wait what?"

"To have sex."

"Why?" I wanted him, I needed him.

"You deserve romance, and I'm going to need some time to make sure you get everything you deserve."

"How long do you want to wait?" I grinned coyly. "A girl has needs, you know,"

Edward chuckled. "Don't worry, it won't be long."

I pressed my lips against his again, praying he would do it quickly. I didn't know how long I was going to be able to wait.

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm feeling generous (and a bit sad I seem to be losing reviewers. We've gone from 7 reviewers from chapter 7 to only 3 on chapter 11), so I'm going to send everyone who reviews a teaser for an upcoming chapter. Went to see New Moon for the second time tonight, and it's still as good as the first time I saw it. I almost loved all of it. There are just a few things I didn't like, and if you'd like to discuss New Moon with me, please send me a PM. On with the show, and don't forget to review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I just like to mess with their heads.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 12**

"Yes Alice, we'll be there." I said into the phone as I battled with separating clothing to put in the washing machine.

"Good," Alice replied. "Now, if you look into your closet, you'll notice a black garment bag hanging there. In there is what I want you to wear."

I groaned. "Alice, I can dress myself, you know."

Alice snorted on the other line. "Please Bella, you know as well as I do that when it comes to events like this, you are hopeless. Now, I expect to see you and Edward at my parents house at seven on Thursday."

I heard the door open, and looked up. Edward came into the room, grinning at me. I smiled back, my heart fluttering. "Yes Alice, we'll be there. I've gotta go, I'm cooking dinner."

"Okay, I'll see you on Thursday. Bye."

I hung up and turned to face the washing machine, continuing to separate the clothes. I could hear him behind me, and my cheeks burnt up. I jumped slightly when I felt his hands on my hips, and his hard body against mine.

"What did Alice want?" He asked, his lips close to my ear.

"Uh, Christmas party at her parents house on Thursday." It was hard getting the words out. Edward's lips were at my throat, kissing the skin there lightly.

"I'll book us a hotel room." He continued kissing me, and I could feel myself starting to get turned on.

"You need to stop that or I'll combust," I breathed out, and I heard him chuckle behind me.

"I admit, that would be bad." He spun me around in his arms, a crooked grin on his face. His hands wrapped around to my ass, lifting up my body against his as his lips met mine. I moaned, circling my arms around his neck and pulled on his hair. I knew he liked that. What sounded like a growl left his lips, and he lifted me up higher so that he could set me down on the washing machine. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling his body into mine. We both groaned as our hot cores came into contact with each other. I was ready to pull both our clothes off at this point, but Edward stopped me.

"Wait." He stepped back a bit, still close, but not pressed against me like before. "We need to stop."

I nodded, panting. "Yeah, you're right. We should wait."

Edward grinned crookedly. "Mind letting me go so that I don't do something we'll regret later?"

I realized my legs were still wrapped around him, and I quickly brought them down. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize." He helped me down from the washer. "You hungry?"

--

"It looks like a storm's coming," Edward commented as we sat in the living-room after dinner, snuggled up on the couch. I looked over to the glass wall, and saw that there was a strong wind outside, as well as heavy rain. I jumped when the first crack of thunder sounded, and practically crawled into Edward's lap. "You afraid of the thunder?" he asked, stroking my hair lightly.

I nodded. "I have been ever since I was little. I always used to run into my parents bedroom, and my mother would hold me until I fell asleep." I stifled a yawn.

"You want to go to bed? It's pretty late."

I nodded. "Yeah." Standing up, I held out my hand to him, and he grasped it tightly. I kept my body close to his as we walked up the stairs to the third floor. The storm was still raging on outside, I jumped slightly every time the thunder would crack through the air. When we came to the third floor hallway, Edward tugged on my hand which caused me to stop. I looked up at him, and he had that look on his face that made my knees weak.

"Storms aren't dangerous, Bella," he said softly.

I put on a brave front. "I know." My body betrayed me though, for when the next crack of thunder came I jumped. Edward chuckled.

"My scared little lamb," he said, his mouth curling up in a smile. He twisted his body to face mine, and grabbed my hands in his. I was so busy staring into his eyes that I didn't notice that he had backed me up against the glass wall until I felt its cool and smooth surface on my back. I gasped quietly at the cold, but it soon melted away when Edward covered my body with his.

Ever so slowly he bent down his head, his lips first touching my forehead, then my left cheek, over the bridge of my nose to my right cheek. My eyes fluttered closed, and I let out a small sigh when his lips pressed against mine. My arms entwined themselves in his hair, and his hands slid to the small of my back, pressing me up against him. Somewhere far away, I could hear a dull cracking noise, but I paid no attention to it. All I could think of was Edward's body against mine, his tongue dancing with mine, and the softness of his hair beneath my fingers. I was almost out of air, but I didn't want to stop. Edward took that decision for me though, and pulled away slightly, his forehead resting against mine.

"See," he whispered, "I could make you forget all about the thunder."

So THAT was what I had heard. There you go. "I never doubted you," I whispered back, a smile on my face.

"Let's go to bed."

One more thing we needed to talk about. "Uh. Whose bed?"

Edward gave an embarrassed smile. "Guess I didn't really think about it. It doesn't matter to me."

This was my moment to shine, to show him that I wasn't just some meek little girl. "Meet me in my room in ten minutes, okay?"

Crooked grin alert, and then he turned left towards his room. I hurried into my room, starting to freak out about what to wear to bed. Even though nothing would happen, I wanted to look good for Edward. Finding that the leg wax Alice had forced on me the day before the wedding was still holding, I decided on a pair checked shorts and a tank top. I brushed my teeth and hair, slightly nervous. There was a knock on the open door, and I stuck my head out to see Edward standing there, dressed in a t-shirt and flannel pants. Another lightning lit up the sky, and I flinched. Within seconds, Edward was in front of me.

"Come on, let's sleep. It's been a rough day." He took my hand, and led me to my bed. Now I was really starting to get nervous. As if he could sense my nerves, he placed a soft kiss in the top of my head. "There's nothing to be nervous about."

I looked up at him, and smiled slightly. With his hand in mine, I walked over to my bed. I drew back the covers and then climbed in, laying down on my side. Edward stepped in after me, laying down on his back and pulling the covers over us. I looked down at him, my head propped up on my elbow.

"Hey," I smiled.

"Hey," he repeated. "Come here." He lifted his hand and curled it around my neck, pulling me down for a kiss. I closed my eyes, and rested a hand on his chest to keep my balance. I fisted my hand into the material of his shirt, and pushed my body more into his. This was his queue to break off the kiss, and he gently pushed me away.

"Sleep, Bella,"

"Goodnight Edward." I pressed my lips against his again, a short and sweet kiss. Then I settled in against him, leaning my head on his chest and throwing an arm around his waist. I threw my leg over his, and closed my eyes.

Sleep came easily to me that night.

When I woke up, I felt more relaxed than I had in years. Edward's body was pressed close behind mine, his arm gripping my waist tightly and his nose buried in my hair. I knew the moment he was awake, because he made a small humming sound, and the arm around my mid-section tightened. I rolled over on my back and peeked up at him. He looked even more beautiful than normally, his hair the epitome of sex hair, and his green eyes bright in the morning light.

"Morning,"

I grinned sleepily. "Morning,"

He bent down to kiss me, but I quickly covered my mouth with my hand. A chuckle left his mouth. "Bella, what are you doing?"

"Saving you from my morning breath," I replied, starting to feel a bit stupid.

Edward raised a hand, and pried mine away from my mouth. His hand cupped my cheek, and he brought his lips down on mine. I forgot everything about morning breath, and curled my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. I moaned when his tongue touched mine, and I could feel him settle in more comfortably above me. I shifted my legs, and all of the sudden I could feel him between my parted thighs.

I broke my mouth away from his and let out a small whimper, burying my face in his neck. Slowly, and without really knowing what I was doing, I started to lift my hips to meet his. He groaned, a wonderful sound to my ears, and dropped his head to my neck, where he started to plant kisses. My whole body was humming with desire, and I was seconds away from trying to pull of his shirt when the phone rang. We both stilled our movements, and Edward lifted his head from my neck. He reached out with one arm and grabbed the chordless phone from the nightstand.

"Hello, Cullen residence," he answered curtly, sounding very annoyed. I knew exactly how he felt. "Yeah she's here, hold on a second." He handed me the phone. "It's Angela."

I grabbed the phone and gave him a smile. "Hello?" I answered, and felt a chill go through my body when Edward sat up.

"Bella, Hi."

"Hey Angela, how are you?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted to ask you if you wanna go to Port Angeles with me today, I have to buy Christmas presents for my brothers."

I hesitated. I had been looking forwards to spending time with Edward today. But then again, I might not leave the house much until school started, so it was probably a good idea to spend time with Angela. "Yeah sure. Pick me up in an hour?"

Angela agreed, and we hung up. I put the phone down next to the bed, and looked up at Edward. "I'm going to Port Angeles today with Angela, if that's okay."

He grinned crookedly. "Silly Bella. You don't have to ask for permission."

I crawled into his lap, and he wrapped his long arms around me. "I know." I rested my head on his shoulder for a while, and then looked up at him. "I should go and take a shower so I'll be ready when Angela gets here." I gave him a light kiss before climbing off his lap.

As I walked downstairs after my shower, it dawned on me that I had no idea what to buy Edward for Christmas. He was in the kitchen, and a smile covered his lips when he saw me.

He walked up to me, and caressed my cheek. "I love this colour on you,"

I looked down at the navy sweater I was wearing. "This?"

Edward nodded, letting his hand run down my neck and to the neckline of the sweater, slightly below my collarbones. His touch was cool against my skin, and I could feel my body starting to get hotter. My breath was starting to come out in short gasps, and I was quickly drowning in his eyes. Knowing that Angela would be here any second, I rose up on my toes and pressed my lips against his. Kissing Edward was probably one of my favourite past times. I could feel him smile against my lips and he slid his arms around and down to my back, pressing me against him. Then the doorbell rang. We broke apart, my hands still in his hair and his around my waist.

"It's Angela. I should get it." I said, slightly out of breath.

"Mmh," Edward hummed, his forehead leaning against mine.

"You have to let me go, Edward," I giggled, and he reluctantly let me go. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"I'll cook you dinner," he grinned, and gave me a short kiss. "Have fun with Angela."

"I will. Bye," I smiled one last time at him, and then hurried to answer the door. Angela stood outside, and she smiled at me. "Hey Angela, sorry you had to wait. I was up in my room, and I didn't want to risk hurting myself running down the stairs." Hoping she wouldn't catch me in my lie, I smiled at her. She didn't seem to notice my lie.

"That's okay. You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just have to get my jacket, hang on a sec." I turned back inside. When I came around the corner, Edward was standing there holding up my jacket. A goofy smile came onto my face, and I took the jacket from him, giving him a short kiss. "Bye." I whispered.

Turning back to Angela, I put on my jacket. "Let's go."

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I wasn't going to update until tomorrow, but I've hit a bit of a rough patch with chapter 14, and thought that your reviews may help me find inspiration again. I took my Swine flu shot today, and now my arm really hurts. I hope I don't get sick, I'm celebrating one of my friend's 18th birthday tomorrow. Enough about me and my rambling, on with the show. And don't forget to review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 13**

Hanging out with Angela was great, and I felt a bit bad for having neglected her. I knew she wasn't alone though, she spent a lot of time with her boyfriend, Ben Cheney. The mall at Port Angeles was a bit small, and not exactly in the best condition. Still, it filled its purpose when you wanted to go shopping.

"Do you have anymore presents to buy?" Angela asked, picking up the bags containing her brothers presents.

"Yeah, I have to buy for Carlisle and Edward. I'm giving Alice and Esme framed pictures of the three of us."

"Sounds good. Any idea what you're giving Carlisle and Edward?"

I sighed. "Carlisle, yes. Edward, no idea." It needed to be something personal, yet not too personal. There was a very fine line that I had to thread.

"Okay, so why don't you buy Carlisle's present first, and think about Edward's for a while?"

"That sounds good. Then I really want to grab some lunch, I'm starving."

While picking out a beautiful light blue cashmere scarf for Carlisle, I pondered on what to give Edward. I finally asked Angela if we could go to the only music store in the mall. I looked around, careful not to bump into anything. With my luck I'd probably knock over a drum kit or something.

"Would you like some help?" I looked up from the sheet music I'd been looking at to see a man in his fifties standing there, the name-tag on his chest identifying him as Harry.

"Yes, please. I'm trying to find a Christmas present for someone."

He winked. "A boyfriend, maybe?"

I looked over my shoulder, and when I saw that Angela was on the other side of the store, I nodded. "Yes, for my boyfriend. He plays the piano, so I was thinking about giving him some sheet music."

Harry showed me a large variety, and I was at a loss. I didn't know anything about sheet music. Finally, I decided on a bound composer book in dark brown leather.

"For only twenty dollars extra, you can get a name engraved on the front."

I nodded enthusiastically. "That'd be great."

I paid for the book, and gave him a note with Edward's name on it. We left the store with instructions to come back in an hour.

"Let's grab some lunch then," Angela suggested.

Sitting down at the food court was a blessing on my feet, although this was nothing compared to Alice's shopping trips.

"So what are you doing for Christmas?" I asked Angela, cutting a small piece of out my burger and eating it. I could feel my stomach revolt, but I forced it down anyway.

"Just handing out with my family. Tomorrow night me and Ben are going out for dinner." I could almost see the little hearts flying out of her eyes, and I smiled.

"I'm happy for you."

"What about you? Doing anything fun?"

"Well, I'm going to Seattle tomorrow. Alice invited me and Edward to her parents Christmas party. Other than that I'm not really doing anything." Except hopefully Edward.

"So, what's Edward like?" Angela asked, curiosity radiating from every pore on her face.

Shit. How was I going to answer this without raising suspicion to myself? I started off with a shrug. "He's okay, I guess. I don't really see him during the days, he spends most of his time in the music room, playing piano."

"But there's no trouble?" she looked worried.

I shook my head. "None. He's a real nice guy."

Soon, the hour was up, and I went to pick up the composer book for Edward. I even had it giftwrapped, in shiny blue paper. I was anxious to go home to Edward, but Angela wanted to do some more shopping, so I kept my mouth shut.

"That looks really good on you," I said as Angela twirled in front of the mirror in a lilac dress.

"You really think so?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. You should wear that at the dinner with Ben."

As Angela went to pay for it, I looked through the store half-heartedly. When I came to the underwear section, my face turned red. Then I thought about it for a second. Edward and I were going to have sex. Preferably sometime this week, or else I'd attack him. All my underwear were so innocent, and childish. Underwear was the one thing I had forbidden Alice to buy for me, and now I had to pay for that mistake. My face still a bit red, I looked through the different selections, each one skimpier than the last one. Then I saw one that looked perfect. Not bothering to try the pieces on, just checking the size, I walked hurriedly to the cashier.

My face was still slightly red as we started on the car ride home, and didn't go away until I stepped out of the car on my driveway. There were lights on in nearly every room, and it made me warm inside when it reminded me of what was waiting for me inside the door. I waved goodbye to Angela, and then tried hard not to skip up the steps to the door.

The moment I stepped inside I was overcome with the feeling of home. I had barely put down the bags before Edward came to greet me. He had changed clothes, into a grey shirt and jeans that looked sinfully good on him.

"Hey," he grinned as he came to a stop in front of me.

"Hey," I smiled back. I didn't resist the urge to throw myself into his arms, and he caught me willingly. I kissed him shortly. "Is it really cheesy to say that I missed you today?"

Edward chuckled, and kissed my forehead. "No. I feel the same way." He set me down on his feet. "I hope you're hungry, I made dinner. Why don't you go up with the bags? Dinner'll be ready in ten."

I nodded, and gathered the bags in my hands before walking upstairs. I hid both bags in my closet, and then glanced over to my bed. It was still unmade, reminding me of this morning. Once again, I blushed. Then I remembered that I only had ten minutes, and I nearly ran into the bathroom. Running a brush to my hair to smooth it out, and dabbing some cold water onto my face to ease the redness, I soon found that my ten minutes were up.

I walked slowly downstairs, the last thing I needed now was to fall and break a leg. When I came to the dining room, I gasped. There were candles placed out in the room, and on the table stood a vase of red roses. I looked over my shoulder to see Edward standing there, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest.

That crooked grin was on his face, and his eyes were dark in the candlelight. "Welcome home." I blushed, not being able to form a coherent answer. Edward pushed himself of the doorframe and came towards me. When he reached me he cupped my face in his hands and gave me a long kiss. I pressed my body against his, my hands on his hips. Edward pulled away first, and leaned his forehead against mine. "Let's eat, shall we?" He lead me to the table, and pulled out the chair for me. I offered him a smile, and watched as he sat down next to me.

"It's smells wonderful," I complimented him. "What is it?"

"Fettucini Alfredo. I seem to recall that you liked pasta?"

I smiled and nodded, glad he had remembered. "I do. Thank you, so much."

A chuckle, and a gleam in his green eyes. "Don't thank me yet, you haven't even tried it."

I let out a small chuckle, and reached out to take some food. I only put up a small portion on my plate, I knew that my stomach wouldn't be able to handle anything else. Then I realized that Edward didn't know, and that I'd have to tell him.

"Aren't you hungry?" Edward asked, and I looked up at him. Worry were etched on his face, and a tiny bit of hurt. Crap.

"I am," I reassured him. "It's just..." I trailed off, not knowing how to continue. I decided then that a direct approach was best. "I suffered from bulimia for three years, and my stomach can't really handle big portions of food."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

I reached out to touch his hand. "You couldn't have known, since I didn't tell you. It's okay though, I'm mostly recovered."

He looked thoughful for a moment. "On Thanksgiving, you didn't really have a stomach ache, did you?"

I shook my head. "That was my first relapse in over six months, and I haven't thrown up since." I squeezed his hand. "Let's talk about something else, okay? I don't want to spoil dinner with all this sad talk."

While ate, we talked about everything between heaven and earth. Edward told me what it was like at Julliard, where he had gone to college, and about his life in Chicago with his birth parents. I found myself becoming more and more drawn to him the more I found out. He was an amazing person. After dinner, Edward told me to go upstairs while he put away the dishes. I tried to argue with him, but he shut me up with a kiss that left me breathless.

I went upstairs, and got changed for bed. I was ready to slip under the covers when I glanced at the clock and saw that it was only little after eight. I was confused. Why would he tell me to go upstairs when it was so early? Then it dawned on me, and I felt my cheeks flush. I heard Edward coming up the stairs, and suddenly found myself very nervous. I felt his presence behind me, and his hands around my waist. He moved my hair out of the way and kissed that sensitive spot right below my ear that made me a puddle in his hands. He turned me around in his arms, and looked down at me with an intense stare.

"Bella," his voice was low, like liquid velvet. "I've tried to be a gentleman and give you what you deserve, but I can't stand to wait any longer."

Enter buckling knees. I was glad he was holding me up. I opened and closed my mouth a few times before I found the words. "I don't want to wait any longer either."

Crooked grin, eyes bright. "Tell me what you want, Bella."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. "Make love to me Edward."

With no words, he pressed his lips against mine. I found myself being pushed backwards towards my bed while his tongue battled with mine. My hands slid down from his neck, down over his chest and stomach and settled on his hips. I grasped the hem of his t-shirt and tugged it upwards, showing him that I wanted it off. He complied, letting go of my waist and lifting his arms over his head. He helped pull the t-shirt off him, and then threw it on the floor. I pushed myself away from him a bit, admiring his physique. Pale smooth skin, defined abs and a trail of bronze hair that disappeared underneath his jeans. He could really put Adonis to shame. Still feeling a bit shy, I placed my hands on his pecks. His skin was warm beneath my palms, and I could hear his heartbeat. It sounded as erratic as mine.

My eyes followed my hands as they slid down over his stomach. His muscles clenched as my fingers brushed across them. A low hiss left his mouth, and he covered my hands with his, stilling my movements. My eyes found his, and I almost gasped at the desire I saw in them.

"You're beautiful," I mumbled, reaching my hands around to his back to press him to me again. Edward's lips found the hollow of my throat, and started lavishing all his attention there. My legs felt like jello, and I clutched his skin tightly. Embarrassingly loud noises left my throat, but in the midst of everything I couldn't bring myself to care. I felt his hands sliding up my sides, bunching the fabric of my tank top. I wanted to feel his skin on mine, so I stepped back and crossed my arms in front of me, pulling my tank top over my head and throwing it away.

I suddenly felt conscious at the way Edward was looking at my naked upper body, and I started to cross my arms over my chest, but Edward's hand on mine stopped me.

"Don't cover yourself. You're beautiful." He pulled my arms down to my sides, and then stepped in closer. His lips met mine, and he wrapped his arms around my back. The skin on skin contact made me tingle, and I could feel my nipples getting hard against his chest.

Our kisses were gentle and languid; we didn't have a reason for rushing. As his tongue started to trace mine a soft moan tore from my throat, and my fingers clutched his hair a little tighter. He started to push me towards the bed again, and I complied. The back of my knees hit the bed, and I sat down, pulling him with me. I felt brave, so I reached for the button on his jeans. My hands were shaking, so Edward took over, removing his jeans and discarding them on the floor. He was now only clad in grey boxers, and I felt my cheeks turn red. Granted, I'd seen him naked before, but I was drunk, and it was dark. I could hardly remember anything. I crawled up the bed, Edward following, hovering over me. He settled himself in between my parted thighs, and gripped my waist. A moan left my throat when he pulled back so that he could pull my shorts down my legs. I was laying before him in only blue cotton panties, and I could feel my blush spread to my entire body.

"Beautiful," Edward said softly, and laid on top of me again. Now, only two layers of fabric separated us from each other, and I could feel the heat from his body. A moan let my mouth when his mouth latched on to my left nipple. My fingers clutched his hair as his mouth lavished the hardened nub, and I groaned when he bit it gently. I arched my back into his mouth, and clenched him tighter to my chest. He kissed his way over to my other breast, giving my other nipple the same treatment.

Just when I was about to go mad with lust for him, his mouth left my breast, and instead kissed a trail down my ribcage. My knees fell apart more, allowing him to settle in between them as he kissed my right hipbone. His fingers hooked into the sides of my underwear, and pulled them down my legs before throwing them on the floor. His mouth dove right in, sucking on my clit. I gave a small shout, my hips flying up into his mouth. The feelings were almost too much to handle. I concentrated on my breathing, feeling with every breath that I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. Then I felt a finger probe my entrance, and a cry left my lips as it entered me, pumping softly. Edward's tongue was still on my clit, and then he added a second finger. I thought I would explode from all the pleasure, and that was until he curled his fingers inside of me, making a 'come hither' motion. Before I knew it, I came all over his mouth and fingers. While I lay there panting, coming down from my high, Edward crawled up my body, a Cheshire grin on his lips.

A inane giggle left my mouth, and I grabbed Edward's face in my hands and pressed my mouth to his. He groaned into my mouth, and I pushed my tongue against his willingly. I made an impatient noise in the back of my throat, and tugged on his boxers, signaling that I wanted them off. It took only mere seconds for him to pull them off, and then he looked at me with a tender look in his eyes.

"Are you sure about this?"

I nodded, and stroked a piece of hair back from his forehead. "I'm sure. I need you."

Edward reached out to the bedside table and grabbed a condom, tearing the paper with his teeth before rolling it onto himself. I could feel him at my entrance, and I started to get nervous again. But I wanted this. So much.

"Tell me if it hurts, okay?" Edward asked, and I nodded, my hands around his neck. He crushed his mouth to mine, tongues battling, and then I felt him enter me. I felt pressure, and tore my mouth away from his to let out a pained whimper, my teeth sunk into my lower lip. Edward stopped moving, glancing down at me with worry.

"Do you want me to stop?"

I shook my head. "No, keep going, just slow."

Hesitantly Edward started to move again, until he was completely sheathed inside of me. Now the slight pain was gone, and was replaced with a wonderful feeling of pleasure. I did an experimental roll of my hips, and bit my lip harder to keep from crying out. This was a sign to Edward that I was okay, and I stroked his face.

He started to move in a slow rhythm, his face buried in my neck and I could feel his every breath. I rolled my hips up to meet his, and a moan left my mouth. Edward lifted his head from my shoulder and rested his forehead against mine, his eyes locking with mine. I kissed his lips softly, breathing heavily through my mouth.

"Harder," I moaned, and a whimper left my mouth as he drove into me harder. Our lips met, and he removed my hands from around his neck and pushed them together above my head, his fingers lacing together with mine. Small growls were leaving his mouth, the sexiest sound I've ever heard.

I don't know how long it was until I started to feel the coil in my stomach. It could have been minutes, hours, days. All I knew was that I needed him to hold me tighter, push into me harder, and never let me go. I raised my legs higher up on his hips, and felt his pelvic bone hit my clit with every stroke. I cried out loudly as I came. Edward drove into me hard three more times, before spilling himself inside the condom, a growl leaving his throat.

Then he stilled. And I stilled. I could hear the wind outside, the slight creaking of the trees outside and the deep breaths that left out chest. A shudder went through me, I was starting to cool down and we didn't have the cover over us. Edward pulled out of me, and removed the condom, walking buck naked to my trashcan and disposing it. As he walked back to the bed I blushed, seeing him naked for the first time. Edward crawled down next to me and pulled the cover over us. He laid on his side, his head popped up on his elbow, watching me. I blushed under his scrutinizing gaze, and rolled over to my stomach, my face in his direction.

Neither one of us said anything for a while, Edward's hand just stroked up and down my back, causing shivers to run through me. His stare was starting to make me uncomfortable, and I struggled to find something to say. What do one say in a situation like this? I had no idea. I cleared my throat a bit, and tried to say something fitting.

"That was nice."

The hand that was stroking my back stopped, Edward was silent for a few seconds, and then he broke out in a quiet laugh. "'That was nice'? Bella, your pillowtalk is terrible."

I blushed, burying my face in the pillow for a second before looking up at him again. "Well I haven't had any practice, have I?"

Edward chuckled again, and started stroking my back again. "We'll, we're going to have to change that, won't we?"

I smiled, and scooted closer to him. He brushed the hair of my naked shoulder and reached down to kiss my lips softly. We broke apart, and I stifled a yawn. "Goodnight Edward,"

He kissed me again. "Goodnight Bella."

I rolled over on my side, my back against him and my body curling with his. His steady breathing in my ear and arm around my waist soon lulled me into sleep.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Update time =) After this chapter I won't be able to update until next week, I have three concerts this week as well as two big essays and a Philosophy exam next week. I'll try my best to write when I can, though. Link to Bella's outfit can be found on my profile. Enjoy, and don't forget to review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own almost an exact copy of Bella's prom dress from the movie.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 14**

Waking up next to Edward was quickly becoming one of my favourite thing in the world. I woke up when I felt light kisses being planted on my neck, and that Edward's hand was now touching the underside of my breast. I turned my head and found his green eyes looking at me, a content look in them.

"Morning,"

"Morning," I replied. "Did you sleep well?"

Crooked grin alert. "Wonderful." I shifted over to my back, and winced when I felt the soreness between my legs. Edward noticed, and looked worriedly at me. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you last night, did I?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm just a bit sore. It's normal."

Edward bowed his head down for a kiss, and I almost pulled away before I remembered yesterday morning, and that he'd kissed me even though I had morning breath. So now I met his mouth eagerly, one hand on his chest and the other one in his hair. After a few minutes we broke apart, and Edward brushed away my hair from my forehead.

"I'll start us a bath, it'll help with the soreness." He stepped out of the bed, and my face turned a bit red. Edward only grinned at this, and stepped into his boxers before going to the bathroom. I lay in bed for a few more moments, utterly and completely happy. Then I carefully got out of bed, and pulled on my scattered pyjamas. Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and nearly gasped with horror. My hair looked terrible, like a bird's nest! Why did Edward have to look so perfect in the morning when I felt like the bride of Frankenstein?

I heard the bathwater running and went into the bathroom. It was filling up nicely, and I reached out to shut the water off. Edward stepped in, carrying large fluffy towels that he put down on the toilet seat. Sensing that now would be a good time to get dressed, I shyly stripped and put my clothes on the floor by the door. I was going to get into the bathtub to get away from Edward staring at me, but he stopped me with his arm around my waist.

"You don't have to be shy, Bella. I told you last night, you're beautiful." We kissed softly, and I thanked whatever power for sending Edward to me. I watched as he removed his boxers and stepped into the water, giving a low hissing sound at the warm temperature. He sat with his back to the edge and his legs parted, and then beckoned me to join him. I stepped in very cautiously, you never knew when my clumsy side would kick in and I didn't want a cracked skull or anything. I sunk down fully into the water, moaning slightly when I felt the warm water soothe my aching muscles. Edward pressed me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around my middle. I relaxed against him, and closed my eyes. He was humming softly to me, a melody I didn't recognize. My head leaned back against his shoulder, and placed a kiss below his ear. We stayed in the tub until the water started to cool down, and then climbed out. We needed to leave for Seattle right after lunch, so we got dressed in separate bedrooms. Otherwise, I'd be all over him.

--

Two hours later, we were sitting in Edward's Volvo on our way to Seattle. Our joined hands rested on the center console, and Edward was singing along with the playlist on his iPod. It was nice, just being with him like this. No pressure on what to say, how to act. I could just be.

We stopped at a gas station, and I shook my head when Edward asked me if I wanted anything from the store. Instead I yawned, and curled up on the seat the best I could, my head leaning against the window. I don't know how, but somehow I fell asleep. I woke up by Edward gently shaking me.

"Bella, we're here,"

I opened my eyes and peered sleepily at him. He was standing by the open passenger door, a crooked grin on his face. I stretched out my body and climbed out of the car. Only, I wasn't so graceful when I'd just woken up, and I almost fell to the ground. Edward caught me, wrapping his strong arms around my midsection.

I blushed. "Thanks."

"I can't have you falling and injuring yourself. We have some activities later that requires you to be harm-free." I blushed again, harder this time at his innuendo. Edward gave a low chuckle, and then closed the car door behind me. "Let's get inside okay? We have a couple of hours until we have to be at Alice's house."

We grabbed our bags, and went towards the lobby. I felt horribly out of place, the hotel seemed to luxurious with a plush carpet and wood paneled walls. But Edward's hand was firmly clasped into my own, fingers entwining, and that gave me courage. We walked towards the front desk, where a beautiful blonde woman was standing. She fired of a million dollar smile when we approached, and the pit in my stomach registered that she was only looking at Edward.

"Welcome to Sorrento Hotel, how may I be of service to you?"

"Hello. We have a room reservation, under the name Cullen."

She not so bluntly looked Edward over, and then shifted her eyes to the computer. "Cullen, two adults, Deluxe room, spending one night, right?"

Edward nodded, and I found myself stepping even closer to him. Somehow my body was always gravitating towards his. Edward looked down at me, and offered me a crooked grin, letting go of my hand but wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Here's your keycard," she held out the keycard to Edward, who took it. Was it just my imagination, or did she just smirk at me? "Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," Edward said shortly, and then we walked towards the elevators. I was feeling a bit down again. That woman had really taken down my confidence a notch or two.

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked as we stepped into the elevator. "We could order room service if you want."

I shook my head, feeling a smile come onto my face. "Not right now, in a while maybe."

"If you're sure." Edward took up the keycard from his pocket, and a folded note fell out and onto the carpeted floor. I bent down to pick it up, and when I unfolded it I found my chest tighten. It was a phone number, signed with Ashley. Edward took one look at the note and sighed, taking it out of my hands and crumpling into a small ball. "Some people," he shook his head.

"She was very beautiful," I commented, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Edward reached for my waist, wrapping his arms around me tightly. "Was she? I didn't notice. Besides," he leaned in close, his breath warming up my face, "I prefer brunettes." He reached up with his right hand and dragged his thumb along my lips, releasing my lower lip from my teeth. I didn't even notice I was biting it. My breathing got shallower, and when he finally pressed his lips against mine I saw sparkled behind my closed eyelids. When we broke apart, I noticed that we had arrived at our floor, and felt a bit silly for not having noticed before.

We walked down the hallway to our room, and I relished in the feeling of my feet sinking into the thick carpet. Edward swiped the keycard in the lock, and opened the door. "Ladies first."

I stepped in, and nearly gasped. The room was beautiful, with a navy carpet and cream walls. When you came in there was a closet straight ahead, with white paneled doors. Then you turned to the right, and there was an antique looking chair, and a desk next to it. Then I saw the bed. Oh my god, the bed. It was huge, with a dark wooden headboard. Opposite from the bed stood a dark cabinet with a TV on it. I walked further in, and saw a door leading to the bathroom on the other side of the cabinet. It too looked amazing, with white tile and a big sunken tub, as well as a separate shower. I walked back to the main room, and saw Edward sitting on the bed, legs stretched out in front of him.

"Edward, this is amazing!" He grinned at me, and I walked up to him, curling my arms around his neck. "How much did it cost?"

He laughed. "I'm not going to tell you. Esme mentioned how much you hated money being spent at you."

I pouted. "Please tell me."

Edward shook his head, mischief in his eyes. "Nope," he said, popping the 'p'. I decided to play dirty. I leaned in close to him, almost touching my lips to his.

"Tell me."

"No," he breathed.

I moved down towards his ear, lips skimming across his skin. "Tell me."

"No," he was starting so sound like his resolve was breaking, and I went in for the kill.

Down his jaw and to his throat, my tongue coming out to taste the skin. "Tell me."

Edward pulled me away from his throat and looked into my eyes. "If you promise not to be mad."

I nodded. "I promise."

"300 dollars."

My eyes went wide, and I gasped. "300 dollars! For one night?!"

"You promised you wouldn't be mad."

"I'm not mad. I'm just..." I searched for the right word. "Surprised."

Edward drew me closer to him, and pressed his lips against mine. A small moan left my throat, and I curled my fingers into hair hair, gripping it tightly. His tongue was warm and soft against my own, and darted in and out of my mouth as if it had done nothing else for its entire life.

I broke away, panting. "I should probably call Alice and tell her we've arrived." With some difficulty I removed myself from Edward and walked over to the desk, picking up the phone. I sat down in the antique looking chair and called Alice, waiting impatiently for her to answer. When she did, she sounded out of breath.

"Hello?"

"Hey Al, it's me."

"Bella hi!" she sounded like she'd run a marathon or something, and I frowned.

"Are you okay?"

She giggled nervously. "Yeah, I was just exercising." I heard a male chuckle in the background, and realized why she was so out of breath.

"Ew, Alice. Couldn't you just have ignored the phone? I did not want to know that about you."

"Well, I thought it could be important. Which it was. Did you want anything in particular."

"Just wanted to say that we're in Seattle now, at the hotel."

"Oh goodie. I'll see you in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Yeah, you will. Say hi to Jasper for me."

Alice giggled again. "I will. Bye."

I hung up, and looked at the phone in dismay, like I would get a full 5.1 sound of Alice's and Jasper's activities. I looked up when I saw Edward on my left, a curious look on his face.

"You okay? You look a little...green."

"I just talked to Alice. Jasper was there." Edward's mouth curled up in a smile. "It's not funny! I didn't want to know what they were doing!"

"Silly Bella." He kissed my hair softly. "Why don't you rest for a while, and I'll order room service. You haven't tried out the bed yet."

Like I was ten, I kicked off my shoes and then ran and jumped into the bed, a squeal escaping my mouth. The bed was beyond comfortable, and I sunk down in it, a content sigh leaving me as I closed my eyes. I heard Edward order room service, and then I felt the bed dip as he laid down next to me, and my body curled around his. I leaned my head against his shoulder and buried my nose in his neck, breathing in deeply. It was calming, his scent washing over me. I placed a kiss just below his ear, and smiled to myself when his breathing sped up. Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Damn, they're fast," Edward muttered and left the bed to open the door. I looked up at the ceiling, and silently agreed.

After eating a club sandwich, I tore myself away from Edward's mouth and started getting ready for tonight. He convinced me that taking a shower together would make us late for the party, so I showered first, standing in the warm water for a good half an hour. Edward groaned lightly when I came out in my towel, and with wet hair.

"You look too tempting for your own good."

I smiled lightly, still not used to compliments like that. Edward stalked towards me, and I found my body reacting to him, my body becoming hot and my breathing becoming shallower. He lifted his hand and placed it over my heart. His hand was cool against my hot skin, and I could feel goosebumps break out over my body.

Edward removed his hand and cleared his throat. "I'll change in the bathroom." He went into the bathroom, and left me to get dressed. My towel still wrapped around my body, I slid on the underwear set I had bought in Port Angeles with Angela. It was black, and consisted of a satin lace bra and a pair of lace boyshorts. Then I dropped the towel and pulled on the hotel terrycloth robe so that I could start on my hair. Alice hadn't really left my with any instructions on how to do my hair, so I figured it was fair game. I blow dried it, and then put it up in a bun that I thought looked messy yet stylish. Then I walked over to the closet and took out the garment bag containing my clothes, which for some reason I still hadn't looked at. I layed it out on the bed, and then opened it. On top lay a note, and I picked it up.

_I want no complains from you, be glad I didn't stick you with a dress – Alice_

I gave a low sigh of relief. This meant I wouldn't be wearing a dress. Nice. I started to pull out the garments, and found myself actually liking them. The outfit Alice had picked out for me consisted of a short grey pleated skirt, a blue sleeveless blouse with lace in the upper chest area, and pair of lace overlay pumps. There was also a braided hairband in the same colour of the blouse, and a pair of black sheer tights. I quickly got dressed, but left the shoes off for now. I was going to be wearing them the entire evening, my feet deserved some rest for now.

I was standing in front of the full length mirror putting on my make up when I heard the bathroom door open, and Edward step out. I looked at him through the mirror, and nearly dropped my lipgloss tube. He was dressed in black jeans, dress shoes and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a black tie. His hair was as messy as ever, but I could see that he had tried to tame it to some extent. He gave an equally surprised look, and I slowly turned around to face him.

"You look spectacular. I'm not going to be able to take my eyes off you all night." Edward said, his voice lower than usual. I blushed and put down my lipgloss tube in my make up bag.

"You look good too." I walked to him with the intent of going to the bathroom, but his hands on my hips stopped me.

"You don't know how tempted I am to blow this party off and spend the entire night in bed."

I blushed again. "But then Alice would be worried." I leaned up and planted a small kiss on his lips. "When we come back, okay?" Edward nodded. "Are you ready to go?"

Edward nodded, and went over to the closet to bring out our jackets. I sat down in the antique chair and put on my heels, already feeling my toes protest a bit at being squished into a pair of shoes. I stood up, and wobbled a bit before I found my balance. In a split of a second Edward was beside me, grabbing my elbow and steadying me. I smiled gracefully at him, and he shot a grin back at me as he helped me on with my jacket.

When we came down to the lobby, I stole a quick glance to the woman who had been flirting with Edward earlier. She was watching us, and I couldn't help myself, I pressed my body a bit tighter into Edward's side, and was rewarded with a crooked grin and a tightening of his arm around my waist. I wanted to show off, so sue me.

Ten minutes later we were on our way towards Alice's parents house, and I started to get nervous. I could never hide anything from Alice, and this was a huge thing I was hiding. Would she be able to see right through me? I hoped not.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I just got back from Stockholm where I attended a Regina Spektor concert, so I'm pretty darn tired now. The concert was great, I really enjoyed it =) The next update will be this weekend at the earliest, I've got a ton of homework. You also get the first look how things are happening in Edward's head later on in the chapter. Enjoy, and don't forget to review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

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**

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 15**

If you thought that Carlisle's house was big, you hadn't seen Alice's parents house. It was three and a half stories high, complete with a full gym in the basement. There was also a pool in the back, and a large pool house. When we pulled up, Edward let out a low whistle.

"This place is huge."

I nodded. "I know. It makes my house look like a forest cabin."

Edward chuckled. "I don't think it's that extreme, but I have to admit that it's pretty big." He got out of the car and before I had time to blink he was at my side, opening the door for me and helping me out of the car.

"Okay, so we need to act casual." I said, mostly to myself, wondering how the hell I was going to pull this off. Nothing escaped Alice. I placed myself at a safe distance from Edward, and started to walk up to the front door. I rang the doorbell, and heard it echo through the house. I looked over at Edward, who gave me a smile.

The door opened, and Alice stood there, looking amazing in a purple satin dress. My grin was wide and sincere, I had truly missed her. "Merry Christmas!" I cheered.

Alice looked from me, to Edward, then back to me. Then her eyes got wide. "You had sex!"

How does she do that?!

"Alice, keep your voice down," I hissed, worriedly looking behind her for any signs that someone had heard her. It didn't seem like it. I stepped into the house, and Edward followed me. I was terrified. Terrified of what Alice would say.

She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. But what is up with you two?"

"We're in a relationship." Edward said, his voice low. I blushed when I remembered his voice last night, while he touched me.

Alice looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded. "It's true." Alice looked at me for a second, and then eloped me in a hug.

"I'm so happy for you." She let go of me and turned to Edward. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"I won't," Edward assured her.

Alice eyed him, and then lit up in a smile. "Now that we have that out of the way, let's go and join the party." Alice walked ahead of us to the ballroom. Yes, you heard me right. They have a **ballroom. **I entered it, feeling Edward walking closely behind me. To describe the Christmas parties at the Brandon's was kind of like trying to describe a party at the White House. The Brandon's always went all out, and you'd half expect the president to walk in at any moment. Christmas music was playing softly out of the speakers, and a giant Christmas tree stood over in a corner. I felt Edward's presense behind me, his hand gently touching the small of my back before retrieving his hand.

"Would you like something to drink?" He asked, nodding slightly in the direction of the bar.

"Yeah, could you give me a ginger ale? Thank you."

Edward smiled. "I'll be right back." I watched him go towards the bar, and it didn't escape me that he turned a lot of heads. I sighed deeply. Nothing better than a couple of cougars hitting on your boyfriend. That didn't sound right. Boyfriend was such a trivial word. Edward felt like so much more than that. He was my life, my everything. I realized that I was falling in love with him, and that fact terrified me. There was a pretty big chance that he didn't feel the same. Could I handle that? No, I couldn't.

**EPOV**

Watching her without being able to touch her might just become the death of me. Ever since I stepped out of the bathroom and saw her in her short skirt and those high pumps I wanted nothing else but to lock us both in our hotel room and not emerge for days. But I knew this party was important to Bella. Then little Alice opened the door and with only one look she blew our cover. After assuring her that Bella's and my relationship was legit and that I cared for her, we walked towards the party. Even though I don't know if party is the word I'd use. They had a **ballroom**, for pete's sake.

Bella walking in front of me, I couldn't help but to slide my eyes down from her slender neck over the curve of her ass and down to her long legs. My hand brushed against the small of her back, and I nearly groaned with the feeling of silk underneath my palm.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked, my mouth close to her ear. Not too close, I didn't want anyone thinking it looked suspicious.

She thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. Her brown eyes lit up and a smile grazed her lips. "Yeah, could you give me a ginger ale? Thank you."

I smiled at her, unable to mask my feelings. "I'll be right back." I made my way over to the bar, running a hand through my hair. The bartender was a guy not much older than me, and he put down the glass he'd been polishing when I leaned on the bar.

"What can I get for you?"

"A glass of champagne and a ginger ale, thanks."

I turned to look out over the ballroom. Bella was engaged in conversation with Jasper, and I felt a smile come onto my face when I saw her laugh at something Jasper said. She was truly an utterly beautiful woman. I still remembered the first time I saw her, in the club here in Seattle. I found her fascinating even then, and was truly sorry that she slipped out in the morning without waking me. I had been prepared never to see her again when I entered the house I'd grown up in for Thanksgiving with Carlisle and Esme. I got the shock of my life when I saw the same woman I'd been dreaming about for months standing there in the kitchen, being presented to me as Esme's daughter. I recognized her short friend too, and tried my best to pretend I knew neither one of them. The idea I had to just stay friends was a feeble attempt to regain some of my sanity, and it made me feel less like a pervert. It wasn't normal, for a 26 year old to lust on a girl at the age of 18. Then my plan went out the window with the blinding jealousy I felt when I got a call from Alice saying that Bella was drunk and hooking up with someone named Mike. The thought of anyone else touching her sent me driving in the cold December night towards the party, praying I'd make it on time. The relief I felt when I found her didn't quite overshadow the rage I held for the boy who held his hands on her ass. Not quite being able to quench my inner caveman, and I pulled her over my shoulder. Not one of my finest moments, I admit, but it was effective. She was so beautiful in her rage, eyes wild and cheeks rosy, she made me do something I had repressed for over a month. Kissing her was heaven, even with the tang of alcohol on her breath. That was the start of us. I'd never seen the true meaning of beauty until I saw Bella the morning after we made love. Her skin and eyes glowing and her hair a mess, she was still the most beautiful I'd ever seen. Her body was my temple, mine to run my hands over. She had awakened something in me I didn't know existed, and I couldn't live without her. I needed her like air.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the bartender set down two glasses in front of me. I thanked him, and made my way over to where Bella was standing. Her back was towards me, but she turned her head when I approached, as if she could sense me coming. She smiled, and her whole face lit up. I had to restrain myself as to not kiss those lips, and instead I handed her the glass.

"I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting." I looked to my right to see a woman with long strawberry blonde hair, wearing a tight fitting dress. She was practically purring at me, her eyes roaming over my body. I felt uncomfortable, and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm Tanya Denali," she held out her hand for me to shake, and I did so quickly.

"Edward Cullen."

"You're Carlisle's son?"

So she'd obviously heard of me. How, I did not know. I'd never seen her before in my entire life. "Yes, I am."

Tanya smirked, looking from Bella to me. "Me and Isabella were just chatting about the marriage between Carlisle and Esme. Isn't it weird, gaining a sister at your age?"

I shook my head, taking a sip of my champagne. "Not at all. Bella is a very mature young woman, and I consider her more of a friend than a sister." That sounded horrible, but I hoped that Tanya wouldn't see through my lies.

She smiled sweetly. "Off course, I understand." She turned to Bella. "Would you join me in the ladies room?"

Bella looked as uncomfortable as I'd ever seen her, but she nodded. "Off course. Can you hold my glass please?"

I accepted it, and watched as they disappeared towards the bathroom. I had a bad feeling about this, but hopes I was wrong.

**BPOV**

When Tanya approached me, I wanted to die. Jasper had only left me for a few seconds until she stepped in, in full bitch more like always. I didn't know why she seemed to hate me so much. Still, I only saw her about once a year and that was at the Christmas party. I was keeping the conversation fairly light, and tried to think of a way to shake her off me, when I suddenly saw her face take on the look of seduction I'd seen on her before. I turned my head, and my stomach dropped when I saw Edward walking over to us. Tanya would try to sink her claws into him, I just knew it. I mostly zoned out while they talked, images of Edward and Tanya leaving together running through my mind. Tanya was beautiful, almost as beautiful as Rosalie. Any man would be foolish not to be attracted to her. I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard my name being mentioned.

"Me and Isabella were just chatting about the marriage between Carlisle and Esme. Isn't it weird, gaining a sister at your age?"

Crap. I knew exactly what she was doing. Somehow, she knew I liked Edward, and was now putting him on the spot. I looked down at the amber liquid in my glass, not wanting to see the look on Edward's face when he answered.

"Not at all. Bella is a very mature young woman, and I consider her more of a friend than a sister."

My heart clenched at his words.

"Off course, I understand." I looked up to see Tanya's eyes on mine. "Would you join me in the ladies room?"

There was nothing I wouldn't do to get out of this situation right now, but I nodded. "Off course. Can you hold my glass please?" Edward took my glass, and I followed Tanya to the ladies room just outside the ballroom. I had to admit, I was afraid. I walked in first, and walked up to the row of sinks, looking at Tanya through the mirror. She opened her purse and put on some more lipstick before speaking.

"Listen _Isabella,_" she said my name mockingly, like I was a small child who was getting scolded, "I don't know exactly why you think you're so special." Her tone was still calm, like she was talking to me about the weather or something. "I want Edward, and I will have Edward. There's nothing you can do about it. Capiche?"

"Capiche," I mumbled, my throat dry.

Tanya gave me a condescending smirk and then walked out, leaving me standing in front of the mirror, feeling lower that I had in a long time. I could feel the pressure starting to bubble up, and I grasped the marble sink with both hands, trying my hardest to force it back down. It was hard, but I managed. I splashed some cold water onto my face, not caring if it ruined my make up. I wasn't exactly in a party mode anymore. I looked up when the door opened, and Alice's mother stepped in.

"Bella, darling."

I forced a smile on my face. "Good evening Mrs Brandon."

She frowned. "Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale?"

This was my way out. I shook my head. "No, I'm actually feeling a bit ill. I think I'm going to head back to the hotel and get some rest."

I left the bathroom, and went in a search for Edward to tell him I was leaving. I found him in the ballroom, talking to Tanya. I approached them cautiously. The smile on Edward's face was unmistakable. Both him and Tanya looked at me when I reached them, and I avoided Tanya's eyes.

"I'm going to take a cab back to the hotel, I'm not feeling well."

Edward's brow furrowed. "I'll go with you."

I shook my head. "No, you stay and enjoy the party."

"Yes Edward, stay." Tanya chipped in. Edward looked at me, and then at her.

"Sorry Tanya, but I should go too. Bella is my responsibility. It was nice talking to you."

The look that Tanya shot me when Edward's back was turned could only be described as rage and loathing. What I'd ever done to piss her off, I had no idea. I didn't really care either. I quickly found Alice, and told her that I wasn't feeling well. Alice off course saw through my mask, but when I mouthed 'Tanya', she gave an understanding nod. Edward helped me on with my coat, and then we stepped out in the winter cold.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I wasn't going to update until next week, but Mercyrus sent me a very heartfilled review wanting me to update. So I am. And just because I am so nice, you get ****two lemons in this chapter. I just want to say one more thing; for the last chapter I got two favourites and five alerts, but only three reviews. It would mean so much to me if everybody who reads this chapter reviews, I'd like to try to get 80 reviews by chapter 20. It doesn't have to be a long review, just a word that you like or don't like my story would be enough.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 16**

"Are you sure you're okay?" Edward asked when we entered the hotel room. I kicked off my heels and winced a bit at my sore feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed to get out of there." I sat down on the bed and started to peel off my tights, throwing them on the floor when I was done.

"Did something happen?"

"I didn't care for the company very much," sarcasm laced my voice, and I looked up when felt Edward's hand on my knee.

"Are you talking about Tanya?"

I blushed, but nodded. "She's always had some problem with me, I don't know why. And now she's going to hate me even more because I have you." Edward looked a bit clueless, so I filled him in. "Tanya wants you. You'd have to be blind not to see that."

Edward shrugged. "So what? I don't want her. I didn't even like her. She was just very annoying." He grabbed my hand and stood me up, before leading me over to the mirror that hung over the desk. My own reflection stared back at me, as well as his. His arms wrapped around my waist, and he stepped in closer to me. I could feel the heat from his body on my back, and I pressed myself harder against him. "You're much more beautiful than her." His hands slid up to my breasts, caressing them through my shirt and bra. A moan left my lips, and my head fell back against his shoulder. He grabbed the bottom of my shirt and it was soon discarded on the floor, with my bra following. Placing kisses up and down my neck Edward's hands slid down to my hips and underneath my skirt, which he unzipped before letting it fall to the floor. I now stood in front of him and the mirror clad only in black lace panties. My eyes met Edward's through the mirror. "Do you trust me?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

I nodded. "I trust you."

Edward smiled crookedly, and then continued with kissing my neck. I moaned, and the sound turned louder when his hands cupped my breasts, squeezing and pinching the nipples between his fingers. Then he slid down onto his knees, and started to trail kisses along my back. I had to reach forward and brace myself against the desk, or otherwise I would have slumped to the floor, I'm sure. A whimper left my throat when Edward kissed the dimples in the small of my back, and then traced his tongue along the line of my panties. His hands reached up, and he slowly drew the panties down my legs and then helped me step out of them. Then I felt his hand pressing at the small of my back, and I bent over, leaning on my elbows. I looked at myself through the mirror, noticing my glazed over eyes and flushed cheeks. I bit my lip to hold back the sounds when Edward spread my cheeks and dived right in, sucking my clit into his mouth. My arms shook, and I pushed my hips back into his face. He was entirely too good at this. I felt two of his fingers enter me, and a small orgasm ripped through my body. Edward stood up, and I met his eyes through the glass. They stayed locked with mine as he grabbed my hips, lifted me up a bit and then drove into me with one hard stroke. I groaned, my eyes fluttering close and my back arching.

"So deep," I whimpered. "Harder."

I felt Edward's hand wrap in my hair, and he pulled my head up. The slight pain was an extreme turn on, and my moans got louder. "Open your eyes." His voice was lower than I'd ever heard, and it went straight to my core. I did as he said and opened my eyes, meeting his again in the mirror.

"Oh God." This was the hottest moment I'd ever experienced. I felt Edward's thighs hit the back of mine, and I made a keening sound when he thrust into me harder. I was starting to get close, and I eagerly pushed my hips back further into him, willing him deeper and harder into my body. When I came, it was louder and more powerful than ever before, and my knees trembled so much I nearly thought I'd fall to the floor. A few seconds later Edward roared out his release, and then leaned his head against my back, still buried deep inside of me.

I felt Edward pull out of me, and I gave a small wince. I heard Edward curse lowly, and step away from me for a second. When he came back I felt him wash me with a warm cloth, and I gave a low sigh at the feeling.

"Let's get you to bed," Edward mumbled, lifted my naked body into his arms and carried me to bed. My eyes were closing as soon as my body hit the mattress, and I felt Edward pull the covers over me before I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was cold. I glanced at the clock. 3:47. I looked over my shoulder and saw Edward laying on his back, his body at least a foot away from mine. I shivered, and crawled closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he moved his arm to wrap around me. I looked at his face to see if he was awake, but his eyes were still closed and his breathing was heavy. I matched my breathing to his, soon I fell asleep again.

The next time I woke up I was warm, and I peered up at Edward, who was watching me with an amused expression. "What?" I questioned, reaching up a hand to my hair. It probably looked hideous.

"You talk in your sleep."

Crap. I blushed, remembering my dream. I could still feel Edward's touch on my body. "Did I say anything interesting?"

A smirk, and he reached out to play with a lock of hair that lay on my naked breast. "Yes, very interesting. You begged me to touch you."

I blushed harder and buried my face in his neck. I remembered that part about my dream, remembered every detail. Even the more kinky ones. Edward chuckled, and I could feel his throat rumbling.

"Merry Christmas baby."

I kissed the soft skin beneath his ear. "Merry Christmas." I looked up at him. "Do you want your present now?" At Edward's nod I hurried out of bed, careful not to get caught in the bedding. I picked up Edward's present from my suitcase and then hurried back to bed. In the meantime, Edward had picked up a rectangular present and was cradling it in his hands. I accepted his gift, and handed him mine, slightly nervous about if he'd like it. His eyes got wide, and a grin covered his lips when he unwrapped the gift.

"Bella, this is great. Thank you so much." He pressed his lips against mine, and I gave a half moan. His body was warm against mine, and I felt desire flood my body. "Open yours," Edward prompted, his lips close to mine. I swiftly tore the red paper off, and was presented with a black plastic box. I opened it carefully, not knowing what I'd find. Inside lay two white pieces of paper. I picked them up, and saw that it said _Romeo and Juliet: _A Valentine's Day Concert.

I looked up at Edward. "Concert tickets?"

Edward cleared his throat, and looked a bit embarrassed. "Yes, they're for the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. The concert is on Valentine's Day. I know you like Romeo and Juliet, so I thought it would be a good present-" I silenced his ramblings by pressing my mouth on his.

"Thank you, it's perfect."

--

After calling Esme and wishing her and Carlisle a merry Christmas Edward and I packed our bags and went back to Forks. It felt sad, even though we'd only been in Seattle for a day. After last night it felt different, and after I put down my bag in the hallway I didn't really know what to do, or what to say. Luckily Edward made that decision for me.

"Come here," he opened up his arms to me and I stepped into them without a moment of hesitation. It made me feel safe and warm, like I was wrapped in a cocoon of Edward. His arms gripped my waist tighter, and he lifted me up so that mu face was buried in his neck. I raised my head to look at him, and nearly had to look away because of the intensity of his stare. Gently his hand came up to cup my cheek, and he carefully leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. It was a slow kiss; there was no need to hurry. His tongue met mine, and a soft moan escaped my lips. I needed him.

"Edward," I moaned. "Take me to bed." Edward kissed me again, and I felt his hand slide down over my ass. I wrapped my legs around him and he carried me upstairs, our lips never breaking apart.

This time was different from yesterday. Edward took his time undressing me, and touching every inch of my body until I was a pool of desire. He brought me to the brink of orgasm with his mouth and fingers several times, and when he finally entered me I came. He kept pushing into me, not uttering a sound expect for his deep breaths. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, wanting him as close as possible. I came two more times before Edward groaned and emptied himself inside of me. He raised himself up so the wouldn't crush me, but I pulled him down on top of me again. I needed him close to me. After a few minutes Edward lifted his head from my neck and looked into my flushed face. I felt a strange emotion wash over me, but I pushed it away. Edward rolled of me, , and I turned over to my side, pulling the duvet over me. I heard Edward leave the bed and go into the bathroom, and I felt my eyelids grow heavier. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and it was starting to make itself known. I felt Edward come back to bed, and his strong arm around my waist.

When I woke up, I felt confused. My dreams had been disturbing, with Edward mumbling 'I love you' in my hair. It was the fact that I longed for him to say those words out loud that made the dream so disturbing.

"I know you're awake," Edward said, and I opened my eyes to look at him.

"How long was I out?"

"Just over two hours."

"You were watching me?"

Edward nodded. Damn. Who knew what embarrassing things I'd said in my sleep. "You're very fascinating when you sleep."

I blushed beet red. "Did I drool or something?"

"Yes, extremely much."

--

"So when am I going to see that famous house of yours?" I asked, hopping up on the coffee table, wearing nothing but one of Edward's t-shirts. Edward was sitting on the couch clad only in sweatpants, reading the newspaper.

"I was thinking New Year's eve." He answered, not looking up from the paper. It was raining outside, and I could hear the rain hitting the glass of the south wall. It was soothing.

"Sounds great."

Edward looked up at me, and his eyes visibly darkened. Without a word he stood up and removed his sweatpants; naked, beautiful and fully erect. I felt myself become wet, and in a bold move I parted my legs, giving him a view of how he affected me. In only a few seconds he was in front of me and practically ripped his shirt from my body. I whimpered when his hand found my breast, and arched my back to bring him closer.

"Lie back," he growled, and I complied. I shivered a bit when my skin met the cold wood, and my nipples hardened even more. Edward lifted my legs up and drove into me with one hard, long thrust. My back arched, and low keening noises left my mouth. I would never get enough of him, I needed him with me and inside of me always. Edward lifted my legs higher, and I cried out when a small orgasm ripped through my body.

"Harder," I groaned. I needed more, always more.

Edward's hair was growing darker with perspiration, and stuck to his forehead. I was getting closer to the edge again, profanities were making their way out of my mouth. Edward climbed aboard the table, pushing my knees up towards my chest.

"Uh, Bella. Fuck!"

Something beneath us snapped, and suddenly the table gave way and sagged to one end.

We braced ourselves until it stopped.

"Fucking hell."

I burst into laughter.

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I have to say, I was positively surprised at the number of reviews I got for the last chapter. It seems a little begging goes a long way, doesn't it? I probably aren't going to be able to update until after Christmas, I still haven't bought any presents and I have about a thousand other things to do as well. But I'll try, for you guys. Also, it would be SO awesome if, again, everybody who reads this chapter reviewed. I have almost 10.000 hits on this story, and only 74 reviews. I know you can do it =) Just push that little green button and send me a message. On with the show =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 17**

"They're so gonna notice that it's not the same table." I was kneeling on the upside-down table, cocking my head as Edward did the last screw on the leg.

"You just have to make some story up to why we had to replace it."

"Me? Why me? And don't tell me it's because I live here, you know I can't lie to save my life."

"No, but it's your turn. You been sitting here barely contributing." He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and looked up at me. He was even more gorgeous than usual, his hair hanging down over his eyes and a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

I grinned. "What do you expect when you're all shirtless and sweaty? Besides, it's not my fault the table's broken."

"Not your fault? Clearly, it took two."

"Hey, I didn't tell you to sex me on top of it."

"You sat on it with your legs spread! If that's not an invitation I don't know what is."

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk on my lips. "'Do me on the table'?"

"Alright." With a shrug, he shoved me backward and lifted my legs.

"No!" I managed to squeak out between giggles. "I meant that was the invitation!"

Edward nuzzled my neck. "You can see how I get confused..."

--

"How is everything going? I'm sorry I haven't been able to talk to you more."

"Esme, please. You're on your honeymoon, you're not even supposed to talk to me as much as you already do."

I heard her quiet chuckle on the other end of the line. "Maybe not sweetie, but I do miss you."

"I miss you too."

"Are you sure everything is okay? I know I'm just a mother hen, but I can't help it."

This was my chance. Now I could tell her about the table. I'd already come up with a plausible excuse. "It's mostly been fine, just one little thing that happened."

"What?" She sounded worried, and I hated lying to her. But I knew I had to. She would never approve of me and Edward, and I loved him.

"A few days ago I was cleaning the living room and started to dance to the music. It wasn't a good idea; I tripped on the carpet and fell into the coffee table pretty hard."

"Oh my God, baby are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, but the coffee table isn't. One of its legs kinda fell off. But don't worry! Edward went to buy another, similar one."

I heard Esme sigh. "Oh Bella, you shouldn't. Carlisle and I could have bought one when we got back." I heard Carlisle say something in the background, and Esme responding. "I'm sorry baby, but I've gotta go. We've got reservations at a restaurant in half an hour. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"No. I forbid you to call until New Year's. You need to enjoy your honeymoon, Esme. Even if you call tomorrow, I'm not going to answer, so you shouldn't even bother."

She laughed. "As you wish. Say hi to Edward. Bye sweetie."

"Bye Esme." I hung up, and went back into the living room with Edward. He was turning the table right side up, and I nearly drooled. His muscles were flexing below his skin, which was glistening with sweat. He looked up at me, a smile on his face. My eyes moved over his body, and I cocked an eyebrow. "Shower?"

Edward chuckled. "Race ya."

--

"Uh Edward?"

"Mmh?" Edward had his back towards me, standing by the stove as he cooked dinner.

"We might have some company tomorrow night."

He turned around to face me, his eyes big. "What?"

I bowed my head down and peered up at him through my lashes, wringing my hands. "Jessica called earlier, and somehow got me to agree to a movie night here tomorrow."

Edward looked shocked. "Who'll be here?"

"Jess, Mike, Angela, Ben and one of Ben's friends from the rez. Is that okay?"

"Bella, off course it's okay. This is your house more than mine, and you don't have to ask for permission."

"So are you going to be able to handle being in the same house as six teenagers for an entire evening?"

"I'll just hide up in the music room until they go away," he responded, crooked grin in place.

I smiled at him, and pointed to the pot behind him. "The pasta's overcooking."

Edward cursed, and tried to save our dinner. Which he did. Edward may be many things, but a bad cook he was not.

--

To say that I was happy when Jessica's voice filtered through the hallway was the overstatement of the year. I nearly flinched, but she didn't see. Instead she just hugged me tightly, still squealing about how excited she was. She was almost as hyper as Alice, but in a totally different way.

"I've missed you too, Jess," I said, mostly to get her off my back. The hug from Mike was awkward, he held me a bit too long for my liking, and I'm almost positive that he touched my boob. Angela was the only person I was actually excited about seeing again. The smile I had for her was real, and so was the one I gave Ben. Then I noticed the guy standing behind Ben. He was obviously native American, and looked younger than us despite that he was nearly as tall as Edward. He grinned at me, showing off white teeth that stood out against his russet skin.

"Hi, I'm Jacob. Thanks for letting me come,"

"Yeah, it's no big deal. I'm Bella." I looked over at the others. "Why don't you all come in? I just ordered pizza, it should be here soon."

While the others made themselves comfortable in the living room I went into the kitchen and took out the six pack of Coke Edward and I had bought earlier today when Edward pointed out that we had nothing edible for six teenagers. I'd commented on his age, making a joke about him needing a walking frame soon. I blushed when I remember the way Edward had lifted me up on the counter before showing me exactly how far he was from needing a walking frame. I was insatiable when it came to his touch, and was planning on spending the few days we had left with him in bed.

"Bella, do you need help or something?" Mike called from the living room, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I'll be right out!" I called back, and gathered the sodas in my hands before moving towards the living room. I could faintly hear the sounds of a piano upstairs, and smiled a bit to myself, picturing Edward sitting by the piano.

The only spot available on the couch was the one next to Jacob, and by the look in Jessica's eyes, it was planned that way. I gave an internal sigh and sat down, trying to get as far from him without looking suspicious. We watched a Family Guy episode while we waited for the pizzas to arrive, and I have to admit that it was pretty funny. When the doorbell rang, everybody cheered. I guess they were hungry. I paid for the pizza and brought it out to the living room.

"Hey, I'm gonna run upstairs and see if Edward wants some pizza," I said as the others, particularly Mike and Jacob, wolfed down their pizzas.

Jessica's eyes lit up. "Try to get him to come down here. I want to meet him."

I rolled my eyes, but my back was already turned so she didn't see. Walking upstairs, I heard that he was still in the music room. I knocked lightly on the door before stepping in, alerting him to my presence. He looked up from the keys when he heard me enter, but didn't stop his playing. I closed the door behind me, and rested my back against it.

"Hey," Edward said, crooked grin on his face.

"Hey," I said back, feeling my face turn up in a smile as well. "The pizza's here, do you want any?"

Edward stopped playing. "Am I going to get attacked if I go downstairs?"

"Probably."

He thought about it. "Why not. I'm hungry." He walked up to me, but I made no sign of moving away from the door. Edward raised an eyebrow.

Despite everything, I blushed. "You have to pay the toll."

"And what is the toll?"

"A kiss." I raised my chin, looking straight into Edward's eyes. He gave a low chuckle, and moved closer to me. His thumbs coiled around the belt loops on the sides of my waist, just above my hip bones. When he pulled, my pelvis arched toward him, my chest following until it became flush with his. Then his lips found mine, and I sighed into his mouth, my hands bunching in his shirt covered chest. It was a sweet kiss, passionate in its own way even though our tongues stayed in our own mouths. When Edward pulled away, he did so with a small sigh.

I walked ahead of him downstairs, hoping that my face didn't give away what had happened between Edward and I. Everyone was still eating though, so no one really noticed. I sat down in my previous seat, not failing to notice that Jacob had moved a bit more to the middle of the couch, making less room for me. I chose to ignore him though, and reached for a slice of pepperoni and cheese pizza. I felt Edward behind me, and decided to introduce him.

"Everyone, this is Edward Cullen. Edward, these are my friends. Jessica, Mike, Angela, Ben and Jacob."

Everyone waved and smiled at Edward, including Jessica whom I swore had pulled down the neckline to her shirt an inch more.

"Nice to meet you all," Edward said politely, and then reached over me to take two pizza slices and putting them on a plate he'd brought from the kitchen. "I hope you enjoy your evening."

"It was nice to meet you too," Angela said, giving Edward a shy smile. I heard him retreat, and wanted nothing more than to turn to look at him. But that would look suspicious, so I didn't. Instead, I took another slice of pizza.

"So, what movie do you want to watch?"

There was immediately a tug of war. Mike, Ben and Jacob wanted to watch a horror movie, while Jessica and Angela wanted to watch a romantic comedy. There was bickering back and forwards, and I started to think it was a bad idea inviting them over. Then, Mike raised his voice.

"Why don't we let Bella chose since it's her house?" Everyone agreed, and I blushed when all their attention was focused on me. I racked through my brain for a movie, something that would please everyone.

"How about Valentine? It has murder but I think it's pretty funny. I mean, it's a slasher film, how scary can it be?"

This seemed to please everybody, and I took out some snacks after much complaining from Mike. It was a bit uncomfortable, sitting in the dark with Jacob next to me. He was sitting too close for my liking, and more than once I swear I felt his leg brush up against mine. I didn't pay too much attention to the movie, and was a bit surprised when the end credits started to roll.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked, shutting of the DVD player and using me standing up as an excuse to sit in the arm chair opposite from Angela and Ben instead of next to Jacob.

Jessica grinned, eyes going towards Mike. "How about truth or dare?" Everyone agreed, and we moved to the living-room floor to have more room. We sat down in a circle, Angela to my left and Mike to my right, with Ben next to Angela and Jacob next to him. Jessica seemed happy in her place next to Mike. "Okay, I'll start." Jessica looked around the ring, stopping on me. Shit. "Bella, truth or dare?"

Crap. What should I chose? "Dare," I answered quickly before I had time to change my mind.

Jess thought about it for a second, and then smiled. "I'll start off easy. You are going to go upstairs and tell Edward that you think he's hot."

"Jess, that's mean!" Angela tried to defend me, but I waved her off.

"Okay," I shrugged before standing up and going upstairs. Edward was still playing the piano, working on a new piece it seemed. He looked a bit surprised when he heard me enter.

"Bella? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's great. I just wanted to tell you that I think you are the most gorgeous man I've ever seen."

Edward half grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Not that I mind the compliment, but what brought this on?"

"We're playing truth or dare, and it was my dare. I was actually going to call you hot, but I think that is an insult."

Edward chuckled. "Thanks babe."

I winked at him. "Anytime." Then I turned around and walked downstairs, not knowing exactly what would happen next. If I had known, I would have stayed upstairs with Edward.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Happy Holidays to everyone, whichever holiday you might have been celebrating. This chapter is a bit shorter than the other ones, but I really just wanted to get it posted since it's been a while. I have absolutely no idea how often I'm going to be able to update, since I'm starting my last semester in high school, and I also have a few other stories that has been terrorizing me over the last few days that I just need to write down. I'll try my hardest to update as often as I can though. I hope y'all review this, it would mean everything to me. On with the show =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything but the plot belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 18**

"What did he say?" Jessica was almost bouncing up and down when I came downstairs.

"He said thanks," I replied, sitting down in my seat again. "It's my turn now, right?" Jessica nodded. "Okay. Mike, truth or dare?"

Mike grinned. "Dare."

"I dare you to do fifteen push ups."

Mike gave a silent groan, but got down on the ground and did the fifteen push ups. The game continued, and I found myself have a genuinly good time. Ben had to eat a tablespoon of butter, Angela had to dance to Baby's Got Back, Jacob did a lovely version of the chicken dance, and Jessica sang a very horrible cover of Womanizer.

"Bella, truth or dare?" Jessica asked me for the second time, sitting down in the circle again.

"Truth."

A wicked grin spread across her lips. "What is the strangest place you've had sex in?"

I almost laughed. It was obvious she thought I was a virgin. What amused me was that I probably had had more, and much better, sex than she had. At the memory of this afternoon, my cheeks flushed. "A kitchen counter." I was met with silence. The others looked shocked at me. "Yeah, so Ben, truth or dare?"

He shook himself out of whatever thoughts he'd had to answer. "Truth."

"How old were you when you had your first kiss and who was it with?"

Ben blushed a bit. "I was fifteen, and it was Angela." I resisted the urge to go 'aw'. Ben gave Angela a loving smile and then turned to Jessica. "Jessica, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?"

Jessica wrinkled her nose. "Ew no. They're all old and gross." She turned to Jacob. "Jake, truth or dare?"

He grinned, glancing up at me before diverting his eyes to Jessica again. "Dare."

Jessica giggled. "I dare you to kiss Bella."

My eyes widdened. "What?!" Jacob gave a shy smile, but I didn't respond to it. Instead I looked at Jessica as if she had grown another head.

"Oh come on Bella, it's ony one kiss. Don't be such a prude."

Oh, if you only knew. Sighing softly I moved closer to the middle of the ring, and Jacob did the same. Up close like this he looked even younger, and I tried to envision Edward's face in front of me instead of Jacob's. I closed my eyes and waited, getting more anxious by the second. Then I felt a large hot hand curl around my neck and then his lips pressed against mine. I squeezed my eyes shut harder, and gave a low shudder. Jacob smelled weird, like a wet dog. But obviously he took my shudder as a positive thing because I felt his tongue on the seam of my tightly shut lips. That's when I pulled away, and sat back at my place. I waited until Jacob had his back towards me, and I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

We ended up watching two more movies, and everyone started to leave just as the clock struck 1. I went into the kitchen to put away the bowls and glasses, and realized I wasn't alone when someone behind me cleared their throat. I turned around, and saw Jacob standing by the kitchen counter. He looked nervous, and ran a hand through his long dark hair. A move recreating one Edward did all the time, and I loved about him. With Jacob, it looked wrong.

"I had a really nice time tonight, Bella," he finally said, still looking nervous and uncomfortable.

I gave a slight nod. "Me too, it's been a while since I had friends over."

"I like you, Bella." Fuck. "And, I, uh, was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometimes?"

I didn't know what to answer, I couldn't answer. I forced myself to find the words though. "Look Jacob, I'm really flattered, but I'm already seeing someone."

He face fell. "Jessica said you were single."

Off course she did. Jessica Stanley, always the matchmaker. "She doesn't know. We're kind of low profile."

Jacob looked surprised. "Do I know the guy?"

I shook my head, struggling to come up with a believable lie. "He goes to school in Seattle, I met him there when I visited a friend of mine." It sounded believable enough.

"Do you love him?"

There was no hesitation in my answer. "Yes, I do."

--

"Bye, happy new year!" I called, waving as my friends as they got into their cars, waving back at me. I waited until they were all on the driveway up to the 101, and then I closed and locked the front door before shutting off the lights downstairs and walking upstairs to go to bed. I brushed my teeth and hair before going into my bedroom. The lights were out, but I saw a dark form on the bed, so I guessed that Edward was asleep. I stripped out of my clothes and pulled on a tank top before walking as quietly as I could to the bed, lifting the covers and slipping in, careful not to wake him. He was laying on his side, and I scooted back against his chest, molding my body to his. It seems I did wake him, because I felt him kiss the back of my neck and his arm slipped around my waist to pull me tighter to him.

"Mmh, did you have fun tonight?" he said, his voice thick with sleep.

"It would have been better if you could have been there," I confessed, stroking the skin of his knuckles.

"We'll have fun tomorrow," he promised, placing another lingering kiss on my neck. "Goodnight Bella."

"Goodnight Edward." His breath was hot on my neck, and I tried to match my breaths with his as I slowly fell asleep.

--

When I heard the door close I went to greet him, and eyed the champagne bottle in his hand. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Edward laughed, and put the bottle down before removing his scarf and mittens. His cheeks and ears were red from the cold outside, and his hair in a beautiful disarray as usual. "I wasn't planning on it, but now that you mention it it does sound like a good idea."

I scoffed. "I'm terrible when I'm drunk."

Crooked grin alert, and he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I seem to recall that you were pretty good."

I only chuckled, we had been through too much for me to be shy. "Ah yes, but you are slightly biased, aren't you? Being my boyfriend and all." It was the first time I'd spoken the label outloud, and I waited for his reaction.

But Edward's smile didn't falter. "Then as your boyfriend, I officially invite you to spend tonight in my humble abode. I would like nothing else than to spend New Year's Eve with my beautiful," he trailed his lips over my pulse point, "sexy," kissed my cheek, "and amazing girlfriend." His lips ended up on my lips.

"Now you see, it's talk like that that may cause you to get lucky tonight."

"Oh, I'm counting on it." He kissed my lips lightly again. "Come on, get your things and we'll get some food. What are you in the mood for tonight?"

"I don't know really," I said as I pulled down my jacket from its hanger and put it on. "Something with a steak maybe?"

"Sounds good. You have everything?"

I nodded, wrapping my scarf around my neck and picking up my overnight bag. "Yeah. Let's go."

This was the first time I'd been out in public with Edward since we started our relationship, and I couldn't help but to be paranoid. Especially in the grocery store when we would continuously run into people we knew. We still managed to get our groceries and get out of there without any major problems. The most amusing part was when Mrs Stanley came up to us and let Edward know that she had a niece that she thought he'd like. I had to bite my lip and look away to stifle my laughter. I managed to keep it in until we got into his car, and then I lost it. Tears were rolling down my face I was laughing so hard, and I clutched my stomach.

"Are you done?" Edward asked as he started the car, trying to sound irritated but failing as his amusement shone through.

I let out a last single laugh, and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Yeah, I'm done."

He turned his head to look at me. "I'm glad my torture amuses you,"

I giggled. "Aww honey, don't be like that. In this town, match making is a favourite passtime, especially with the Stanley's." I looked down in my lap. "I should know after last night," I added to myself, not thinking Edward heard me.

That was not my luck, though. "It's nothing."

Edward turned off the car and I felt his eyes watching me. "Tell me." It wasn't a demand, more of a plead. I gave a low sigh, and looked up at him. He looked troubled, and I reached out to touch his hand. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white.

"It's nothing serious, I promise. It's just that last night Jessica dared Jacob to kiss me. She was trying to play match maker, just like she almost always does." I wrinkled my nose. "It was actually pretty gross. He smelled like wet dog."

"Are you sure?" Edward drove a hand through his hair and then rubbed the bridge of his nose, like he always did when he was troubled or upset. "I know I'm not the best guy for you."

My heart sank. "Don't say that Edward, don't even think it." My voice was determined. "You are the only one for me," it was as close to 'I love you' as I dared get at the moment, and I hoped he would read between the line, "and I hope you're not breaking up with me, because then I'd have to hurt you." There was a slight teasing tone to my words, even though they were serious.

To my relief, a dry chuckle left his throat and a half smile appeared on his face. "I'm not breaking up with you. I won't leave until you tell me to."

I felt myself blush, and my heart start to beat faster. I was just about to lean over and kiss him when I remembered we were still parked in front of the grocery store, and that anyone could walk by. So instead I gripped his hand a little tighter. "Get us out of here so that I can kiss you."

He grinned again. "Gladly."

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	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait, but I've been really busy with school and such. I'm sorry but I think that this is going to be the updating schedule I'll have; updating at the most three weeks apart. I have not only school, but two projects which both are resulting in big concerts, and I also have other stories I want to work on. I'm not givin up though; I'll just have try to find a way to divide the time I have. **

**Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review. With more than 12,000 hits I feel that I should have more reviews than 84.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 19**

The drive to Edward's house didn't take long. It was expected though; it never took long to get anywhere in Forks. The house itself was pretty small, but looked cozy and very Edward-like. Edward parked the car and got the grocery bag out of the backseat before going around to open my door. I sent him a grateful smile, but still couldn't kiss him like I wanted to because of the neighbours. Off course I didn't know if they were watching or were even at home, but I couldn't take any chances. Gossip spread like a wildfire in Forks, and all it took was for one nosy neighbour to see us kiss and the whole town would know within a day.

Edward opened the front door for me and made a sweeping motion with his arm for me to enter. There was a small mud room when you just walked in, and I removed my jacket scarf and shoes. Edward was right behind me, and he put down the bag on the floor before removing his jacket and shoes.

"Why don't you take a look around and I'll start preparing dinner?" he suggested, and I nodded.

"Sounds good." Curious, I started to look around.

To the left of the mud room was the living-room, where two love seats stood in a 90 degree angle from each other. They were both made of dark brown fabric, and looked very comfortable. The coffee table made me blush, and I hoped that it was sturdier than the one at home. His bathroom had blue tiled walls, and a fairly large bathtub that I couldn't wait to try out. Edward's bedroom was larger than mine, and had a large bed similar to the one in the hotel we'd been staying in when we were in Seattle. Two dressers lined the walls, and I blushed when my mind couldn't stray from the fact that they looked just the right height and depth to have some fun on. To get my mind out of the gutter I moved on to the kitchen, where Edward was standing and prepping for dinner. The kitchen was probably the biggest room in the house, with a table seating six people. There was also a door that lead to the side of the house, and the backyard.

"Your house is beautiful." I complimented Edward, and he looked back at me with a smile.

"Thank you. I was hoping you'd like it." He turned back to the stove, so I couldn't see his face when he spoke next. "I bought you a toothbrush that you can keep here, because I wasn't sure if you brought one."

The smile that appeared on my face was large. "That's so thoughtful of you." I realized I wanted that kiss now, so I walked up to him. I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he stopped what he was doing and turned his head to face me. My eyed locked with his and I slid the hand on his shoulder up to his neck. There I fisted his hair in my hand and brought his head down so that I could kiss him better. His lips was soft and warm against mine, and my eyes fluttered closed. I would never get tired of Edward's kisses, not even if I lived to me a million years. It was one of the many things I loved about him. There was so much love for him inside my body that sometimes it consumed me, not knowing how to cope with those feelings without telling him. Edward pulled back from the kiss, smiling softly at me and tracing my cheek with his hand. I smiled back. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Edward turned back to look at me. "You can start with the salad if you want to. There's another chopping board beside the stove and the vegetables are in the fridge."

"I'm on it." Maybe it wasn't the smartest idea, putting a sharp knife in my hands. In the ten minutes it took me to chop up the vegetables I nearly cut my finger twice. But the end result was nice, and I was proud of myself. Cooking had never really been my forte. We cooked in silence, and Edward was the first one to break it as he put down our plates at the table.

"Would you like some wine?"

I wrinkled my nose. I'd never really liked wine much. "Would it be okay if I had a coke instead? I'm not that into wine."

"Yeah, sure. There's some cold ones in the fridge."

I took one out and then went and sat down at the table. The aromas coming from the food was amazing, and I gave a sheepish smile when my stomach growled.

--

"I am so full I think my stomach is going to split open," I commented as I laid down on the couch. I was suddenly glad I had chosen leggings and a sweaterdress instead of jeans because I would have popped the button. I looked up at Edward, who was grinning crookedly. "You are so cooking every time we're here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Every time?" He extended his hand to me, and I eyed it for a second before taking it. He pulled me to my feet and then sat down before pulling me into his lap.

I nodded severely, but being unable to conceal the smile on my face. "Every time."

Edward turned on the TV, and changed the channel to some show on HBO. I snuggled deeper into his body and leaned my head on the crook of his neck. A commercial for UCLA came on, and Edward spoke.

"Have you thought anything about what you want to do after high school?"

I shifted my body to look up at him, and he met my eyes. "I've applied for the English program at both University of Seattle and NYU. I don't really know what I'll do after college, though."

"You didn't apply anywhere else?"

My eyes shifted downwards and then met his again. "Esme convinced me to apply to Dartmouth, but I know I won't get in."

Edward frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"Because it's true. My grades aren't high enough, and I'm just not smart enough."

He smiled, one corner of his mouth raising higher than the other. "I don't believe that for a second. You're really smart."

I grinned. "Are you trying to get in my pants?"

He laughed, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I have to try now?"

A low chuckle left my mouth and my words came out teasing, even though I was deadly serious, "Never."

Edward leaned down and pressed his lips softly against mine. He tasted like steak and the wine he had for dinner. I felt his fingers run through my hair, and a shiver went through my body. I pulled away and pressed a short kiss on his mouth before leaning my head back to the crook of his neck, diverting my eyes to the TV.

We spent the rest of the afternoon just laying on the couch and cuddling. It was effortless, being with him. I didn't have to play all miss preppy personality and be cheerful all the time; I could just be me. Edward chuckled softly at the show we were watching, and I could feel his chest rumbling against my back. I snuggled my head deeper into his neck and closed my eyes, letting the feel and scent of him overtake me. I became drowsier and drowsier, and I was barely aware of him kissing the top of my head before I fell asleep.

When I woke up I was confused about where I was until I felt Edward's strong arms around my body. Then I remembered. New Year's. I glanced out the window and saw that it was dark outside. Shit. How long had I been asleep? The digital numbers on the VCR told me that it was almost half 12 already. I looked up at Edward only to see that he was sleeping too, mouth slightly open and his hair falling into his eyes. I could only smile at him, for he looked so cute when he slept.

I turned around in his arms so that I was laying stretched out on top of his body, his arms still wrapped around my middle. I reached up and pushed his hair out of his face, and my fingers lingered on the soft skin there. They trailed down to his jaw, where they again was met with a small stubble. I leaned up and pressed my lips softly against his. His lips were unyielding against mine at first, but then his lips started to move against mine. A low moan rumbled from his throat and I felt his arms tighten around me, his hands palming my waist.

"What time is is?" Edward asked, his mouth still close to mine. I could feel the movements of his lips, and it made me smile.

"Almost 11.30," I answered, and Edward sat up, causing me to fall off him. I almost fell down to the floor but his hand around my arm stopped my body.

He grinned sheepishly and pulled me into his lap again. "Sorry babe."

I felt my cheeks turn red at the endearment and stood up. "Should we go outside?"

We bundled up in out jackets, scarves, and gloves and Edward grabbed the champagne bottle and two glasses before we went out on his backporch. The snow lay thick on the ground, but the porch was snow-free thanks to the overhanging roof. Edward put the glasses down on a small wooden table and opened the champagne. He poured it into the glasses and handed me one of them. I took a small sip and then turned to face the backyard.

I heard Edward set down the bottle before he pulled me into his arms, my back pressed against his chest.

I felt the panic starting to bubble up inside of me. When was I going to tell him I loved him? What would he say? My eyes closed tightly and I breathed deeply, trying to get my thoughts under control.

"Are you okay?" Edward's voice was close to my ear, and I shivered.

"Yeah, I'm just cold." In answer to that Edward's arm around me tightened and his free hand joined mine in my jacket pocket. Despite it only being a small gesture it was one of the most intimate moments of our relationship so far.

Fireworks started to light up the sky, and a glance at Edward's watch told us that it was only five minutes left of 2009. The TV was on inside, showing the ball drop at Times Square, and I could clearly hear Ryan Seacrest talking about how the year had been.

I turned around in Edward's arms set my glass down before I wrapped my arms around his neck, plunging my fingers into his thick hair. I felt his hands wrap around my waist, settling on my lower back. He must have disposed of his glass too.

"Any New Year's resolutions this year?"

Edward gave a thoughtful look, and then his face lit up in a smile. "Just staying happy." My heart soared at his words. "What about you?"

The grin that was on my face was larger than ever. "The same."

He started to lean down to kiss me, but was stopped when a chorus of voices sounded from the TV and out to us on the back porch.

_"Ten... nine... eight... seven... six..."_

"This is it." Edward grinned crookedly.

_"...three... two..."_

The look I gave him was intense. "Kiss me."

_"Happy New Year!"_

His lips came crashing down on mine, his tongue probing my mouth and his arms holding me almost too tight. I stood on my tip toes, wanting to be even closer to him. His hand came up to tangle in my hair, tilting my head to get better access to my mouth. Only when it became painfully evident that I couldn't breathe did I pull away, and I didn't go far. My forehead resting against his, eyes locking.

This was it.

Now or never.

My mouth close to his I whispered, "I love you."

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	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Holy cow, the amount of reviews I've gotten since I posted the previous chapter is sick! It went from like 85 to 110. I love all you guys for reviewing. I love those of you who aren't reviewing too, but not as much ;)

I have no idea when I'm going to be able to update again; I'm going to be super busy this week and next week because I am, with two friends, arranging a charity concert, and we have A LOT of work left to do. I'm going to do everything I can though to not let it go 3 weeks without an update.

Without much furter ado, on with the show, and don't forget to review =)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 20**

Edward's body tensed up, and so did mine. Fear ran through my body as he pulled away from me, holding me at arm lengths distance. His eyes were wide and disbelieveing, his mouth opening and closing in shock.

"What did you say?"

I tried backing away, but Edward's grip on my upperarms stopped me. "Edward, please," my voice was nothing more than a whisper. I didn't know what I was asking for, but I knew that I had to get away before he broke me. Which he would, I knew he would.

He didn't relent though, and his eyes bore deep into mine; it felt like he was looking into my soul, the very core of my being. "What did you say?" he repeated himself, his voice softer this time.

Realizing that I was acting like a kid and that I needed to grow up, I stood up taller and tried to look somewhat confident. I'm sure I failed.

"I love you, Edward."

He looked gobsmacked for a moment before he regained his composure. I was sure at any moment now Edward would be turning me down firmly but gently, saying that it was fun while it lasted. What I wasn't prepared for though was for him to pull me in a bone shattering embrace, my feet hanging almost a foot of the ground as he spun me around. When he finally set me down he drew me even closer to him, which I didn't know was possible, and buried his face in my neck. I was starting to freak out.

"Edward?" My voice was meek, and I heard him mumble something against my neck. It tickled a little bit, his warm breath against my cold skin. "I can't hear what you're saying."

He lifted his head from my neck and I was a bit shocked by the sheer look of joy on his face and in his eyes. Without a word his hand found the back of my neck and he pulled me in for a hard kiss. By the time he pulled away I was panting.

A huge, shiteating grin covered his face. "I love you Bella. So much."

"You love me?"

A nod of his head, his expression serious now. "I love you."

"_You _love _me_?"

Crooked grin alert. "Has your hearing deteriorated in the last few minutes?"

Suddenly it was like something snapped, and it all made sense. Edward loved me!

I wrapped my arms tightly around him, my mouth close to his ear. "You love me," I said, and then pulled back to look at his face. "You actually love me."

His hands cupped my face, and his thumbs brushed away the tears I didn't realize had fallen. "Is that so hard to believe?"

I laughed through the tears. "Yes. No. God, everything is in a blur. I don't actually know what I'm trying to say." I ran my hair through Edward's bronze hair, the silky tresses cold beneath my fingers. "I love you."

"I love you too Bella, always." With no other words Edward grabbed my hand and we went inside. I removed my jacket and shoes while he out away the champagne, and then we met in the kitchen.

Then his lips were on mine, and he effortlessly picked me up, making me wrap my legs around his waist. We went towards his bedroom, mouths still locked together. Edward sat me down on the bed and we started undressing each other, mouths only parting when absolutely necessarily. That night was the very epitome of love making. It wasn't about finding release, but of being close with the person you loved. Our bodies were touching as much as they possibly could, my arms and legs wrapped around him and my face buried in his neck.

Exhausted Edward's head collapsed on my chest, his arms around my waist and his legs tangling with mine. I ran my hands through his hair, which was damp from perspiration. He gave a low sigh and I shivered, his cool breath chilling my body. He started to hum low, a melody I didn't recognize. It was soothing, and I felt my body relaxing.

"What song is that?" I asked, my voice no more than a whisper because it felt inappropriate to speak any louder.

Edward lifted his head to look at me, his green eyes glinting in the dim light. "Just something I wrote."

"You wrote that?" I honestly had no idea that he composed his own music, though I knew of his skills with the piano. Edward nodded. "Will you play it for me sometime?"

Edward smiled. "Off course." He leaned up and pressed his lips against mine, his hands coming up to palm my breasts. I moaned into his mouth and his tongue started to massage mine gently. I felt him hard and ready again my outer thigh, and I parted my legs so that he could rest between them.

--

"We only have two days left," I sighed as I sat by the kitchen island, stirring my spoon around in my barely touched cereal. The milk had turned a mixture of colours from the fruit loops, and it kind of made my stomach turn.

"I know," Edward answered, sitting down next to me with a cup of coffee in front of him. It was two days after New Year's, and in just two days time Esme and Carlisle would be back from Italy. Their plane would arrive in Seattle in the middle of the night, so they had booked a hotel room and would be driving home the following day. This left me and Edward with really just today and tomorrow before we had to go back to strictly platonic, and I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to do that. I was never good with lying.

"How are we going to be able to do this?" I asked, feeling my eyes start to tear up as they met his. I blinked them back and concentrated on breathing. "Are we still not telling Carlisle and Esme?"

"I just don't think they'll understand," Edward sighed. "Like I told you before Christmas, the age difference alone is enough to make people raise their eyebrows at us, and the fact that I'll be working at your school is just the icing on the cake." He pushed himself off the stool and held out his hand to me. "Come, I want to show you something."

I took his hand and let him pull me upstairs. I felt a smile come onto my face when I realized he was leading me to the music room. I'd been dying to hear him play again, and now I was even going to hear a piece he had written himself. Edward sat down at the piano bench and directed me to sit down next to him.

Suddenly Edward looked nervous, and the hand that held mine felt a bit clammy. The smile he gave me was smaller than usual and didn't quite reach his eyes. I pressed a tender kiss to his lips and then waited for him to start playing. He turned his face to the keys and placed his hands lightly on them, his skin nearly as pale as the keys.

He took a deep breath, and then started to play. I didn't know what to say, or what to do. It was beautiful. It started with a sad sounding chord, and progressed into a sweet melody which I recognized. It was with shock that I realized that it was the same melody he had been humming to me almost every single night since Christmas, and the same melody I asked him about yesterday. As I listened closely I found that it reminded me a lot about our relationship. It started out soft and gentle, then became more intense in the middle only to end on a very soft note that went straight into my heart.

Edward stopped playing, letting the last note ring out in the air as his hands fell into his lap. I was silent, and he was silent. The only thing that was heard was the soft patter of the rain outside and our breaths. Then I finally got my act together and grasped his hand in my own.

"That was beautiful," I complimented, rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb.

He turned his head to look at me, and the smile was bigger this time. "You liked it?"

I chuckled low. "Off course I liked it doofus. How could I not?"

He turned his hand over and entwined our fingers. "I wrote it about you. About us. About how you make me feel."

Instead of giving him a verbal answer I pressed my lips against his. I reached up to caress his cheek, then sliding my hand back to fist in his hair. A small groan left his mouth, and he wrapped his free arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. In a surprisingly graceful movement I swung my right leg over the piano bench so that I was straddling him.

I was going to make the time I had left alone with Edward last as long as I could.

--

The squeals Esme and I let out when we saw each other could easily match Alice's, and I nearly cried with joy when Esme wrapped her arms tightly around me.

"Baby, I've missed you so much.

"I've missed you too," I replied, pulling away to look at her. "You look great!" And she really did. Marriage was becoming on her, there was no doubt of it. She looked happier than I'd even seen her, and had a nice tan which looked great on her. I'd never been the tanning type, my skin only burning in the sunlight no matter how much sunscreen I put on.

"Thank you sweetie," she smiled. "You look good too."

I was assuming that she was referring to the fact that I had gained weight. Also, the after glow from Edward's and my quickie in the shower earlier probably hadn't left my face yet.

As she hugged Edward, I stepped up to Carlisle, who looked as happy and tan as Esme did. He gave me a fatherly hug before stepping back. "It's good to see you Bella. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you too, Carlisle."

"Honey, why don't we take our bags upstairs and then sit down to talk in the living-room?" Esme suggested, and Carlisle agreed. Edward went into the kitchen to put on some coffee, and I followed him. While he put the coffee on I took out a bottle of water from the fridge, and then leaned on the kitchen island.

I studied Edward as he busied around, admiring the way his muscles flexed underneath his t-shirt. A low chuckle was heard. I looked up at Edward, who was looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"See something you like?"

I gave a coy smile. "Absolutely."

He leaned over the counter and kissed my lips sweetly. I sighed against his lips. I was going to miss being able to kiss him whenever I wanted. "I love you," he said with a smile when we broke apart.

"I love you too," I replied, and then moved away from the counter when I heard Carlisle and Esme coming down the stairs.

We spent the rest of the day and evening catching up, and exchanging gifts. Esme had bought me some beautiful Italian clothes, all in rich colours and silky fabrics. Carlisle showed us almost all of the 200 pictures they had taken on Carlisle's digital camera, and I had to admit that the Italian landscape was absolutely breathtaking.

It was almost midnight when Carlisle and Esme went to bed, and it was time for Edward to leave. I lingered downstairs, pretending that I needed something from my school bag so that I could say goodnight to Edward. I waited until I heard the door to Esme's and Carlisle's bedroom shut close before I stepped into his arms, wrapping my own around his back. He rested his chin on top of my head, and a low sigh left his mouth.

"Things are going to be completely different no, aren't they?" I asked, my voice muffled from being buried in his chest.

"Yeah, they are." Edward answered, and then moved me away from him so that he could meet my eyes. "Everything's going to be fine. It's only a few months."

We had agreed not to tell anyone about us until I had graduated; it semed to be the best choice for us.

It was still going to be hard, though, I wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

I sighed. "I guess you're right." I stifled a yawn, and realized only then just how exhausted I was. I hadn't really ben getting a lot of sleep lately, for obvious reasons.

"I'm gonna go, let you get some sleep," Edward said, and started to detangle himself from my arms.

I didn't let go, though. "Hey mister, where's my kiss?"

He smiled that crooked grin that I loved, leaned down and then his lips were on mine. The kiss was too short for my liking, and I made a protesting sound when he pulled away.

Edward chuckled. "Goodnight Bella. I love you."

I smiled. I never could stay mad at him for long. "I love you too."

One last short kiss, and then he left. I stood in the hallway for a a few minutes before locking the front door and going upstairs to go to bed.

I smiled when I spotted the green t-shirt he had been wearing yesterday lying on my bed, and I stripped before pulling it on. I brought the fabric up to my nose and inhaled deeply. It smelled exactly like Edward, and it comforted me.

Crawling underneath the covers I tried to fall asleep. I was unsuccessful though, and a sigh of frustration left my mouth. The bed felt too big, too cold. I missed Edward's body next to me. It felt weird sleeping alone after spending every night for almost two weeks together.

Suddenly my phone chirped on my nightstand, and I took it down only to see that I had a text message from Edward. When I read it, a smile came onto my face.

**I'm having a hard time falling asleep without you next to me, so if I look like a vampire tomorrow you'll know why. I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow. – E  
**

After that, knowing Edward was having the same problem I had, it wasn't so hard to fall asleep.

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	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait, but I did warn you that it would take a while. There's not much else to say about this chapter except for 'read on'. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, if I did I'd made everybody burst out in song at random places.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 21**

Two days later, and it was time to go back to school. I had bareky spoken to Edward since Carlisle and Esme came back, and I was starting to feel it. There was something in my body that ached, and it scared me a bit. Was it possible to love someone so much that you physically felt ill when you were away from them? If it wasn't for the text messages and short calls I'd managed to make to Edward when Esme and Carlisle was busy doing other things, I probably would have gone mad.

The first day of school was nothing special; it was just like any other school day. There was only one major difference. Edward. The first thing that met me when I pulled into the parking lot was Edward's silver Volvo, and a warm feeling spread through my stomach when I thought about that my lover was somewhere inside that building.

I checked my face in the rear-view mirror to make sure that my mascara hadn't melted in the snow that was falling down from the sky. Yeah, you heard me right. I was actually wearing make up. I had on nice clothes too. I had, in blind panic, called Alice at 6.30 this morning because I didn't know what to wear. I wanted to look nice for Edward, without looking like I was trying too hard. Alice ordered me to put on skinny jeans, ugg boots and 'that white and blue striped sweater I bought for you in New York last year that I know is still hanging in the back of your closet with the tags still on it'. Alice had a thorough knowledge of basically every item in my closet.

When I was sure that my make up hadn't melted I drove a hand through my hair and grabbed my bag from the passenger seat. As I stepped out of my car I saw Angela approach me, the hood of her jacket up to protect her face from the snow.

I smiled at her, pushing up the hood of my coat over my head. I was having a good hair day, and I didn't want the snow to destroy it. "Lovely first day at school, isn't it?"

Angela let out a dry laugh, and we started to walk hastily towards the entrance of the school. "Wonderful darling, just wonderful."

I chuckled as we walked through the doors, and unzipped my jacket, glad to be inside. The hallway was bustling with activity, everybody wanting to catch up with their friends after the winter Holiday. I had just put my jacket and bag in my locker when I heard the familiar sound of Jessica's squeal. I heard another squeal too, and understood that Lauren was with her. I inwardly groaned. I didn't want to deal with Lauren right now. Or ever, for that matter.

"Did you see the new teacher? He's soo hot!" Lauren giggled, and it was startling when I realized that she was talking about Edward.

I heard Jessica agree with Lauren. "I know! He's even hotter now than when I saw him at Bella's house."

Crap. Why did she have to tell Lauren that?

"What do you mean?" Lauren was confused, I could hear it.

"He's Dr Cullen's son, and as you know Dr Cullen and Bella's mom got married right before Christmas."

"So the new teacher is Bella's brother?"

I flinched. It didn't sound good.

"Yeah. His name is Edward, and he's only like 25 or something. Definitely raking high on the hotness scale."

I was so glad when they left, sparing me from having to listen to them anymore. Making sure that no one was reading over my shoulder, I took out my phone to send a text to Edward.

**Good luck on your first day, and watch out for teenage girls. They're ruthless.**** Love you - Bella **

The warning bell rang, so I stuffed my phone in my jeans pocket and grabbed my English books, ready to start the day with Mr. Mason. I had barely entered the classroom when I felt my phone vibrate. I chose a seat in the back, and discreetly pulled off my phone, reading the text from Edward.

**Hardy har har.**** Just about to start my first class, and am feeling slightly sick. Can we meet during lunch? Love you too – Edward**

I smiled to myself and looked up just in time to see Mr. Mason closing the door and starting the class. It was about as exciting as English always was, and I saw more than one student dose off. Before Government I sent a text to Edward saying I could meet him in his office.

Once I had plans to see Edward, my classes seemed to drag on forever. I even went so far as to sprint over to the cafeteria before Spanish to get an apple; I doubted I was going to set my foot inside the cafeteria that day. If Mike and Angela noticed my cheerful behaviour they didn't let on, because neither one of them said anything.

I tried to tone my mood down as I shoved my Spanish books in my locker and started to walk towards the music classroom, where Edward's office also was. When Angela wondered why I wouldn't eat with them I made up an excuse that I needed to go to the library.

The hallway outside Edward's office was empty, but I still looked around to make sure no one noticed me before I knocked swiftly on the door. It opened immediately, and Edward's form became visible. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he stepped aside to let me in. I heard him shut and lock the door behind me, making sure that there'd be no uninvited visitors.

I turned around to face him, sitting on the edge of his desk. He still stood by the door, eyeing me with an intense look in his eyes. He looked even more good looking than he usually did, in dark slacks and a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top two buttons undone, exposing his pale throat.

The fact that I hadn't seen him for two days was becoming evident. "I've missed you." It was just a short statement, but it held a lot of significant to me, that he had missed me as much as I had missed him.

"I missed you too." In a short second he closed the space between us and wrapped his arms around me, nearly lifting me from the floor. I clasped my arms behind his back, burying my nose in his shirt and letting his scent and warmth overtake me. I looked up at him and smiled. "How's your first day been?"

"All right. It's better now, though." He leaned down and kissed me, his lips moving softly below my own. My eyes slid closed and I moved my arms to around his neck, pulling my body closer to his. A low moan left my mouth when Edward's hands slid down to my ass, lifting me up and setting me down on top of the desk. I splayed out my hands in his hair, feeling the silky strands between my fingers. I moaned when his hands slid up under my shirt and around my front to palm my breasts, but then I remembered where we were, so I pulled away.

"We can't, I don't have enough time," I said, slightly out of breath. Edward groaned and dropped his head to my shoulders. He slid his hands out from under my shirt and instead settled them on my hips.

"Can I see you tonight?"

I could feel his warm breath on my skin, and it made me shudder. "I don't think so, I promised Esme I'd help her clean the house when I got back."

Edward lifted his head from my neck and instead rested his forehead against mine. "Tomorrow?"

I nodded. "I'll tell Esme I'm going over to Angela's house."

Edward smiled, and crushed his lips against mine. I reciprocated gladly, my tongue gliding over his. We both groaned when we heard the bell ring, signaling the end of our meeting.

I pulled away slightly to catch my breath, though I didn't part my body from his. "I love you," I said, my voice low.

Edward grinned crookedly and reached up to tuck away a strand of hair behind my ear. "I love you too. Insanely."

I smiled and let him pull me down from the desk. "I don't think I'll be able to meet you during lunch tomorrow, but I'll meet you at your house around four?"

Edward grinned and nodded. "I can't wait." He gave me a last kiss, and then ushered me towards the door. I smoothed down my hair and took some deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. Edward opened the door and peeked his head out, making sure I could get away unseen. "It's clear."

I stifled a giggle, holding my hand over my mouth. This all reminded me of some crappy spy movie.

Edward turned to look at me and grinned crookedly. "I'll call you tonight."

I couldn't help the smile that came onto my face. "I'll be waiting." I leaned up on my toes and pressed a short kiss to his lips before stepping out of his office, trying to calm down my racing heart and make sure that I didn't look like I had spent the last 15 minutes making out.

I was almost late to Biology, and I felt my face flush with heat when I sat down next to Angela. Mr Banner gave me an evil look, but then started the class. I was only semi paying attention to his lecture when a note appeared in front of me.

**Are you okay? You look kinda flustered.**

This, off course, made me think about the reason I was flustered in the first place, which lead to my face becoming even more flustered. I grabbed my pen to write an answer to Angela.

**Yeah, I'm okay. It's just really hot in here.**

The look she gave me told me that she didn't believe me one bit, but she didn't press the matter. That was what I liked about her, that she knew to back off.

Gym was a total disaster, as usual. We were playing dodgeball, and I highly doubt that any of those balls that Lauren sent my way were unintentional. For some reason she'd never liked me, and she made no secret of that fact either. It seemed though like she was more open about it now than she was last year, which probably had to do with the fact that Alice wasn't around anymore. That girl might be small, but she can be scary as hell, and Lauren knew well enough not to piss her off. One time Lauren pushed me in the hallway, causing me to fall down and sprain my ankle. The next day after Gym, Lauren got the shock of her life when her hair turned green. Although she accused both me and Alice of being the ones doing it, she had no evidence, and the whole thing was dropped.

Esme was baking when I came home, I could smell it as soon as I walked through the front door. I followed the smell to the kitchen, where I found Esme standing over the stove. She looked up and smiled when she saw me.

"Hi sweetie. How was school?"

I shrugged as I sat down by the kitchen island, leaning forwards on my elbows. "It was school."

"You didn't happen to see Edward did you? When I spoke to him last night he sounded nervous, and I hope he had a good day."

I was lucky that Esme had turned back to the stove, because my face turned beet red. "Yeah, I ran into him during lunch. He said that everything had been going fine,"

"That's good."

"Hey, what are you baking?"

"Banana nut muffins. Do you want one when they're done?"

At the thought of eating a muffin, my stomach turned. "No thanks, I'll wait until dinner."

--

Later that night, before going to bed, I pulled out the photoalbum in which both Esme and I had put in pictures since I was 13. It was overflowing with photos, and I reminded myself to buy a new one. I sat down on my bed and opened the blue cover, smiling to myself as a picture from my 12th birthday came up. A birthday cake was in front of me, and I was smiling brightly at the camera.

I flipped the page until I came to the pictures I had been looking for.

The summer before my sophomore year.

My eyes slid over the photograph on the left page, taking in the two figures with their arms around each other's shoulders. One short, with spiky black hair and a huge smile, and the other taller with brown hair and dull eyes. I was pale, paler than normal, and I could see my bones stretching over my skin. The arm that rested on top of Alice's shoulders was thin, and I actually looked thinner than Alice.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply through my mouth as I thought back on how it all started.

_Flashback_

_My footsteps echoed as I ran down the empty hallway, __and I tripped four times before reaching my destination. The girls bathroom was deserted, so no one noticed when I barged in, tears streaming down my face. Lauren's words still haunted me, echoing in my head along with the laughter of the others. I gripped my head between my hands and squeezed, as if I was trying to press the thoughts out of my head. _

_It didn't work. _

_The voices grew louder and louder. _

_I looked at myself through the mirror; saw the __imperfections; the way that they were right. I was disgusting. _

_I was getting clammy, beads of sweat forming on my brow. My stomach turned, I started to feel dizzy, and I stumbled into a stall, slamming the door behind me and in the last minute emptied the vegetable roll I had for lunch. _

_My knuckles gripped the porcelain seat so hard they turned white._

_When there was nothing left in my stomach __to throw up I reached up with a shaky hand to flush, and then sat back against the door, closing my eyes. Despite the weak and shaky feeling, I felt better. Much better, actually. _

_End flashback_

A hand clasped over my shoulder, and I gave a half shriek. Twisting around I saw Esme standing there, an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry Bella, I didn't mean to scare you."

I closed the photoalbum and put it down on the bed. "It's okay Esme, I was lost in my thoughts."

"I just wanted to say goodnight, and I hope you have a good day at school tomorrow."

I smiled at her, mimicking the one she was giving me. "Thank you. Goodnight."

She stroked my hair and bent down to kiss the top of my head. "Goodnight Bella."

After she left I changed into Edward's t-shirt, which seemed to erase all negative thoughts from my brain, and got ready for bed. A smile crept onto my face when I thought that I'd be seeing Edward tomorrow. I picked up my cell phone and opened a blank text.

**Only 17 more hours to go. I can't wait. Love you forever – Bella**

Without waiting for a reply I turned off the sound and laid back against my pillows. It only took a few minutes before I fell asleep.

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	22. Chapter 22

A/N: First, thank you to everybody who has reviewed/added to alerts/added to favourites since my last update, it makes me incredibly happy that people like this little story of mine. There are some reviewers I recognize, some who has stopped reviewing and some new reviewers, which is always nice. I'm not going to beg for reviews, I'm too tired (1 am over here), but just want to say that reviews really spur me to write faster. Enjoy the reading :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I **have** pre-ordered my very own 3-disc New Moon DVD.

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 22**

The next day was horrible. I couldn't concentrate on anything because the only thing that was on my mind was that I'd be seeing Edward after school. I slipped and fell down three times in the parking lot, skinning my knee the last time. I didn't feel the pain though; all I could feel was the euphoria that I'd be with Edward.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked me during lunch, and I looked up from my food.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because your leg has been bouncing up and down for the past 10 minutes. It's making me nervous."

I put my heel down on the floor to prevent my leg to continue shaking, and offered Angela a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

"What are you so anxious about anyway?"

Crap. How was I going to explain this one? Instead of giving a verbal answer, I just shrugged and looked down. Angela didn't press the matter and went back to her food. The sound of a chair scraping against the floor made me look up.

Mike popped down next to me, hair wet from the rain. "Hey Bella, Angela."

"Hey Mike." I gave him a slight smile, and went back to eating.

"Me and a couple of other people were planning on going to Port Angeles after school, maybe catch a movie. You in?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."

"How about you Bella?"

I looked up at Mike, and then shook my head. "I can't, I'm busy."

He actually looked a bit hurt. "Doing what?"

"I'm redecorating my room." The lie came easy enough, and I didn't go completely red, which was usually what happened when I lied. I was getting better at lying, it would seem.

Mike looked a bit perplexed. "You have to do that today?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Esme promised to help me, so I don't want to cancel our plans." Once again looking down at my food, I marveled on how good at lying I had become. I guess you had to when you were in a secret relationship, otherwhise you'd get caught straight away.

Luckily Mike didn't get a chance to pester me further, because the bell rang. I nearly sprung out of my seat, but waited patiently for Angela to gather her tray before walking with her to dump our trays. We walked quickly to Biology, making taking about colleges on our way. Angela had sent out applications to like ten different colleges, including Dartmouth, Yale and Duke. When she asked me which college I wanted to go to the most, I didn't have an answer for her. If you would have asked me six months ago I would have said Darthmouth without blinking, but now I wasn't so sure.

I kept thinking about this as Mr. Banner rolled in the ancient TV and announced that we were going to watch a movie today. It suited me just fine; it left me room to think. Dartmouth had always been my dream college, but now I wasn't sure if I wanted to go there. I knew exactly what the reason for my changed priorities was.

Edward.

I could hardly imagine going to a college where I could only see him during the holidays, if even then. The universiy of Seattle was starting to look more and more appealing to me. It had been my second choice, and when Alice got accepted I was even more excited to go there. To ease my mind a bit and get some perspective on things I decided to do a pro and con list to both Dartmouth and the university of Seattle.

Dartmouth

Pros:

My dream college

Amazing programs

Cons:

Can't see Edward often

Across the country

Can't see Alice or my family often

Can't see Edward often

University of Seattle

Pros:

Close to Edward

Amazing programs

Close to Alice

Close to home

Cons:

I stuck the end of my pencil in my mouth while I thought about what was in front of me. Were there really any cons for going to UOS? I couldn't really see any.

I was caught off guard when the lights were turned back on, and everybody started to gather their books. I quickly shoved the note in the pocket of my jeans and hastily picked up my books, not wanting to be the last one in the classroom with Banner. He was kinda creepy.

Gym actually wasn't as bad as it used to be; during the warm up I tripped and twisted my ankle, so I got to sit and watch for the rest of the class while the others played dodgeball. My ankle wasn't really hurting, but I had no desire to play dodgeball, so I played it up a bit. Coach Clapp was so used to me hurting myself during Gym that he didn't even question me anymore. When the bell rang I was the first one out to the locker rooms, anxious and excited that I would be seeing Edward soon. I hurried up in the shower, not bothering to wash my hair since I figured I'd be doing it later tonight anyway. I completely ignored the remark Lauren made about my clothes as I got dressed, my mind focused entirely on Edward. I gathered all my stuff and then made my way out to the parking lot, hurrying to get out of the rain.

Somehow I felt like the universe hated me, because when I went to pull out of the parking lot there was a blue Sedan blocking my way. I craned my neck to try to see what the hold up was about, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. I brought my palm down on the horn, causing it to blare out. The Sedan jumped to life and drove out of the way. Even though this whole exchange had taken just under two minutes, I was already stressed out. My fingers kept tapping at the steering wheel as I drove over to Edward's house, and at least once every ten seconds I reached down in my jacket pocket to make sure that the key he slipped into my hand this morning was still there.

It wasn't until I pulled up on his driveway that I realized something that I had overlooked in my plan of making sure no one knew I was here. Someone might recognize my car. I felt a bit paranoid when I exited the car and looked around me to make sure that no one saw me before I made my way towards the front door, my fingers still wrapped around the key in my pocket. It felt weird unlocking the front door and stepping in knowing that Edward wasn't there. I put down my bag before I kicked of my shoes and hung up my jacket. I took a deep breath, and then stepped into the living-room.

It didn't look any different from when I was here last, but it felt different. I sat down on the couch, folding my right leg underneath my body. I spotted a few music magazines lying on the coffee table and I picked one up, looking through it absentmindedly. I didn't know exactly when Edward would be here.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes before I heard a car pulling up on the driveway. I dropped the magazine and craned my neck to look out through the window. A sleek silver Volvo pulled up behind my car, and I felt a Cheshire grin spread over my face.

I heard the front door open, and rose from my place on the couch. Edward didn't have time to take more than two steps into the living-room until I jumped him, wrapping my body around his and crashing my lips onto his. He stumbled back a bit before he regained his balance. One hand went below my butt to support my weight and the other one fisted into my hair at the back of my neck, keeping my mouth locked on his. As our tongues battled I could feel his erection training between us, and I reached down with one hand to palm him. A groan left his mouth, his kisses became more desperate. Then something happened that made my blood run cold.

The doorbell rang.

Our mouths stilled, and both our bodies froze. Slowly I unwrapped my legs from around him and let them slide down on the floor before stepping back slightly. Edward looked about as nervous as I felt, and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Go wait in the bedroom, okay?"

I nodded, and quickly entered the bedroom and shut the door behind me. I backed up and sat down on the bed, listening cautiously for any noises. I heard Edward open the door, and then low voices. I waited anxiously, and a few minutes later I heard the front door close. Still I didn't dare to move.

Edward opened the bedroom door, and a relieved smile was on his face. "It was only a neighbour who wanted to borrow a cup of sugar." I let out a sigh of relief and stood up from the bed. Edward pulled me into his arms, nuzzling his face into my neck. My arms slid up around his neck, playing with his hair. "I think we're getting a bit paranoid," he murmured, his warm breath washing over my skin and making me shiver with need.

I couldn't offer a verbal response, so instead I fisted my hand in his hair and pulled his head back before crashing my lips down on his. He reciprocated immediately, meeting my kiss enthusiastically. Our clothes were shed quickly, but when Edward tried to push me back onto the bed, I stopped him, pushing him away. He looked puzzled at me, and I maneuvered us so it was his back against the bed. I pushed lightly on his chest and he sat down at the edge of the bed. I smiled coyly, tucking back a piece of hair behind my hair.

"Move up the bed."

He did as I asked almost right away, leaning his back against the headboard. His eyes were dark with desire, and I have no doubt that the look on my face mirrored his. In a surprising moment of grace I crawled up on the bed without losing my balance or getting tangled up in the sheets. I could clearly see how I was affecting him, and it made me swell with pride. My hands gripped Edward's legs, starting at his ankles as I crawled up his body. His hands covered mine on his thighs, and he tried to pull me up to straddle him, but I shook my head.

"I want to try something." I was nervous, and my voice shook a bit. Edward gave me an encouraging smile, and I took a deep breath to calm myself down at bit. I bent down and started to press kisses on Edward's rock hard flexed under my touch, and I felt a small smile come onto my face. My hands moved up from his thighs to wrap around his dick, and a groan left his mouth while he bucked his hips up towards me. I lifted my head and looked down at his erection, my hands pumping him. My eyes drifted to to silky liquid that was leaking from the head, and my thumb brushed against it. A deeper moan left Edward's throat. Slowly I lowered my mouth down over his erection and sucked the head into my mouth. Edward's response was to growl, and fist his hands into my hair. Not holding me down, but just resting his hands there. It was a very powerful feeling, to know that it was _I_ that made him feel this way, lose control like this. I relaxed my mouth around him and started bobbing my head up and down, taking in more of him with every downstroke. One of my hands went down to fondle his sac while the other one gripped the base of his erection, gripping firmly. When I felt him at the back of my throat I tried to relax, and prayed to God I wouldn't gag. I didn't, and a hoarse cry rose from Edward's chest when I swallowed around him. I did it again, and on my way up I lightly grazed my teeth against his length.

"Fuck Bella! I'm close!" Edward tried to pull me up, but I slapped his hands away. I pulled him all the way into my mouth again, and then he came with a harsh cry. It was a strange but not unpleasant feeling, his cum flooding my mouth, and I swallowed as quickly as I could. I kept him in my mouth for a while longer, making sure he was clean, before I raised my head to look at him.

A contened smile was on Edward's face, his eyes half closed. I crawled up his body and sat down on his stomach, shuddering a bit when my wet center came into contact with his hot skin. I reached up and brushed away his hair from his damp forehead, letting my fingers linger in the soft tresses. Edward's arms encircled my waist, pulling my upper body towards him. My forehead leaned against his, and I could feel his breath on my skin.

"That was amazing," he breathed, and a small giggle left my mouth. It turned into a moan when one of his hands traveled up to my left breast, palming it and tugging on my nipple. I arched my back into his hand and reached behind me to find him hard and ready again. Scooting backwards I lifted myself up so that I could position him. I was about to sink down on him when Edward stopped me. "We need a condom."

I shook my head, feeling a bit shy being exposed to him like this. Some things never change. "I'm on the pill."

Edward raised an eyebrow, and I could feel him raise his knees behind me. "When did that happen?"

I blushed, and I could feel it spreading down to my chest. "After New Years."

"Very well then, do continue."

That damn smirk was driving me insane! With my hand gripping the base of his erection I slid him back and forwards on my slit, coating him in my juices. My eyes locked with his as I sunk down on him, but I soon broke eye contact as I threw my head back in pleasure. This was the first time we'd made love without a condom, and I could feel now why Alice recommended me to get on the pill. I could feel every inch, every vein of him inside of me, and it was amazing. I started moving up and down, my hands splayed out on his pecs to maintain my balance.

Edward's hands gripped my hips, helping me guide my movements. My eyes fluttered closed and a low moan rose from my throat. In the split of a second Edward sat up, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and pressing my body against his. I could feel him shift his knees behind me, and I wrapped my legs around his hips.

"Oh my..." this was the most intimate we'd ever been in; bodies wrapped around each other, fingers tangling into soft hair. I had a hard time breathing, he was hitting that spot inside me that made me see stars. I dropped my face to Edward's neck, trying and failing to subdue the embarrassingly loud noises that was escaping my mouth. I felt my orgasm approach quickly, and when it peaked I bit down on Edward's shoulder. This caused him to cry out, and he came right after me. We stayed in the same position for a while, both of us breathing heavily. "That was...wow." I breathed, trying to calm my racing heart.

Edward chuckled low, and nodded. "Yeah. Wow." There was a pause, and then he spoke up again. "Shower?"

"As soon as I regain the feeling in my legs," I answered, a small chuckle escaping with my words. "I'm feeling like a giant jellyfish at the moment." Though I felt like I couldn't stand on my own I unwrapped my legs from around his waist and lifted myself off him. It felt strange and empty, not being connected to him. I tried to move my leg over his so that I could climb off him, but my foot got caught in the sheet and I nearly fell off the bed. Feeling more than slightly embarrassed I managed to get out of the bed and stand up, even though my knees were still shaking a bit. Edward still sat on the bed, his pale skin gleaming in the afternoon light, and I could feel my heart swell with love for him. "Come on pretty boy, let's shower."

Edward scrambled to his feet and we rushed to the bathroom to shower. After a quickie in the shower we settled down in the living-room to watch tv. It was really nothing special on, but it felt nice to just be with Edward like this and not have to think about anything else.

"I love you," he said softly, dropping a kiss to the top of my head.

"I love you too," I replied and tightened my grip on him a bit. I felt my eyelids start to drop, and I snuggled closer to Edward's warm body as sleep overtook me.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know. Everybody who reviews gets a teaser :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: There are truly no words that can describe how bad I feel for not having updated in so long. I can't say much to my defense, other than the combination of being super busy, having the flu, and having writer's block at the same time isn't really an ideal situation. But now I'm back, and I can guarantee that it won't take this long to update in the future. This chapter is quite the bit shorter than other chapters, but I figured you'd want to read it as soon as possible. Please review, and show me that I haven't lost ALL my readers due to this long wait. (The outfit described at the end of the chapter can be found at my profile)**

**Disclaimer: I don't Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 23**

"Bella, wake up."

I groaned in protest and nuzzled my head further into Edward's neck, squeezing my eyes more shut. "No." I sounded like a petulant child, but I didn't care. I was warm and comfortable, and I didn't want to move.

I heard him chuckle, and felt his fingers brush away the hair from my forehead. "You have to wake up, it's almost 7."

This woke me up pretty quickly, and I almost jumped up from Edward's arms. "Shit! I need to get home before Esme wonders where I am. I told her I'd be at Angela's, and I don't want to risk her calling over there to talk to me." I stood up from the couch and smoothed down my shirt. I drove a hand through my hair, and winced when my fingers caught up in tangles. I removed a hairband from my wrist and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Edward stood up and followed me to the mud room, where I pulled on my shoes and my jacket. While I'd done this Edward had been silent, and I looked worriedly at him. "Edward, is something wrong?"

He looked up at me, a frown marring his beautiful features. "Why couldn't you just tell Esme that you were going over here? You could have said that I was going to help you study, and that we'd gotten close over Christmas."

I was a bit stunned for a moment before I snapped out of it. The longer I thought about it, the more sense it started to make. "You're right. I guess I just didn't think about it like that." I smiled at him. "It makes things easier, though. Same time tomorrow?"

Edward grinned, one corner of his mouth rising higher than the other. His shirt was wrinkled from where I had clenched my fists into it, and his hair was a beautiful disarray as usual. He took my face in his hands and kissed me softly. "Same time tomorrow."

I gave him a soft smile. "Bye." I picked up my bag and walked out the door, a chill going through my body when it was exposed to the cold weather outside. As I pulled out of Edward's driveway, I swear I saw him through the living-room window. I drove home in a daze; high on Edward. I was so out of it that I nearly missed the exit off the highway.

Esme was in the living-room when I came into the house, I could hear the sounds from the TV. After kicking off my shoes I went to join her. She was curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hands, and her face lit up in a smile when she saw me.

"Hey sweetie. Did you have fun at Angela's?"

I had an opening, I realized, a chance to be at least somewhat honest with the woman who had been like my mother for 8 years. "Actually, there was a change of plans," I said calmly as I sat down next to her, curling my right leg underneath my body. "Angela had to baby sit her brothers."

Esme frowned at me. "Oh. So what did you do this afternoon?"

This was it, the moment of truth. Well, the moment of almost-truth, at least. "I hung out with Edward; he helped me with my biology homework. We kinda bonded over Christmas," I tried to keep my voice indifferent, but I could still feel my heart beat so loud I'm surprised Esme didn't hear it.

She smiled at me and put a hand on my knee. "I knew that you would get along. He's such a sweetheart."

I couldn't help the smile that came onto my face. "Yeah, he is."

--

The next two weeks passed by quickly; I spent most of my lunch hours in Edward's office building up some frustrating sexual tension, which was then released after school. Now that both Esme and Carlisle knew that Edward and I hung out, it was much easier to be able to spend time with him. I also felt lighter, in a way, without the heavy burden of having to hide completely from Esme and Carlisle. It was still frustrating at times, like when we had "family dinner" on Friday nights, because I had to act a bit stand offish with Edward. Still, it was easier than it had been before.

It was one Wednesday night in late January when Carlisle spoke up at the dinner table. "I'm going to Portland this weekend for a medical conference, and I was thinking that we could make a family trip out of it? We could leave early on Friday and fly back late Sunday night."

Esme nodded. "That sounds great. Which day is the conference?"

"Saturday," Carlisle answered, "and it's from 9 am to about 4 pm, so we'll still have time to explore Portland." He looked at me expectantly. "So what do you say?"

I hesitated. While it could potentially be fun, I had a feeling I wouldn't be enjoying myself very much. Then it struck me, like lightning, and a smile crept onto my face. "Why don't just the two of you go? I mean, despite all the normalcy around here, you guys are technically newlyweds. You deserve some time away from the moody teenager."

Esme blushed, actually _blushed, _and then turned to Carlisle. "What do you say honey? It does sound pretty good."

Carlisle looked at me, and I tried not to let any excitement show on my face. "Are you sure Bella?"

I nodded. "Yeah, totally. It'll be fun; I can sit around in my PJ's all day and watch TV and eat ice cream. Sounds like paradise."

Carlisle smiled, "It's decided then. Good, good."

After dinner I excused myself to my room. I couldn't wait to tell Edward about it! Once I was in my room I locked the door behind me and threw myself on my bed, picking up my cellphone from the nightstand. I quickly dialed Edward's number; so excited my fingers slipped over the keys and I had to start over three times before I finally got it right. I heard it ringing on the other line, and I impatiently started to bounce my foot on the comforter.

The dial tone was loud in my ears. "Pick up...pick up!"

"Bella? Is something wrong?"

I squealed. "You'll never believe what just happened!"

To say that Edward was happy about the news was a slight understatement; I think he would have done a happy dance if it hadn't slightly robbed him of his masculinity. We made plans for him to come here directly after school on Friday afternoon, and I planned on not leaving the house until Monday morning. We hadn't had a chance since New Year's to spend more than a few hours together, and I realized just how much I missed being with him.

The next two days were filled with such preparations from Esme you'd think they were going away for a month. She cooked an abnormal amount of food and put it all in the freezer so that I could just heat it up whenever I was hungry.

I said goodbye to Carlisle and Esme on Thursday night; their flight left early the next morning so I wouldn't be able to see them then. The whole day Friday in school I couldn't concentrate; nothing made sense to me, and I was more clumsy than normal. After biology I went to the front office and faked being sick to Ms Cope so that I could skip gym and go home. She bought it, which was unexpected, and told me to feel better soon. I tried to look sick as I walked to my car, when in reality I just wanted to run as fast as I could.

It took me no more than ten minutes to get home, and I immediately rushed upstairs to get ready. An hour later I was showered, conditioned, shaved and moisturized. I put on the lace underwear set I had gotten for Christmas from Alice, and then pulled on a pair of plaid sleep shorts and a white thermal. I took my time with my hair, blow drying it until it hung straight down to my waist. I was getting nervous, and I anxiously looked at the clock.

3.30 pm.

I paced around downstairs for I don't know how long, until I finally heard a car pull up outside. My body froze, facing the front door, and my breaths started to come quicker.

Then the front door opened, and Edward stepped in, a huge smile on his face and a bag slung over his shoulder. He put the bag down and kicked the door shut behind him.

His eyes met mine, and the world stood still. "Honey, I'm home."

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	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Holy crap people, you truly are amazing! I got ten reviews for the last chapter, which is a record. I hope y'all like this chapter, and please review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to mess with their heads.

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 24**

"Honey, I'm home."

No words could describe the happiness I felt when Edward walked through that front door. As fast as I could, I jumped up on him; arms and legs wrapped around him and my face buried in his neck. He lost his balance for a second, stumbling back, before he regained it, and wrapped his arms under my ass, supporting my weight.

"I've missed you so much," I mumbled into his neck, and I could feel his body shake with silent laughter. I leaned back to look at him, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

Edward's grin was almost as wide as my own. "I've missed you too, so much. I can't believe we have a whole weekend!"

"Well, you should thank your awesome girlfriend for playing on Esme's romantic side." I started to play with his hair, feeling its soft texture under my fingers.

"Thank you, awesome girlfriend," Edward smiled, "Let's get something to eat, I'm starving." He shifted my weight to the side started to walk to the kitchen, with me hanging on his hip like a spidermonkey. "What are you in the mood for?" He asked as he put me down on the kitchen counter. I didn't let go of him, keeping my limbs wrapping around him.

"You," I answered simply, and Edward chuckled.

"I'm not food, love."

"True, but I haven't gotten my welcome kiss yet." I jutted out my lower lip, knowing it was one of Edward's biggest weaknesses. True enough, Edward's mouth latched on to my lower lip, nibbling on it slightly and making me moan. I pulled him in closer as I lifted my head for a real kiss, our open mouths clashing against each other. Simultaneous groans left our mouths when our tongues met, and my legs tightened around Edward's hips. I slid my hands from around Edward's neck down to his back to pull at his shirt, signalling that I wanted it off. Our mouths parted as Edward pulled his t-shirt over his head and threw it onto the floor. At the same time I crossed my arms in front of me and pulled off my thermal, letting it join Edward's shirt on the floor.

"You are so beautiful," Edward mumbled, and then his mouth latched onto my collarbone, kissing and nipping on the skin. I threw my head back, my arms supporting my weight and my back arching into his mouth. I couldn't form words, my mouth open as I desperately tried to suck air into my lungs. I felt Edward's hand slide around my back and unhook my bra, and I lifted my arms so that he could take it off me. He kissed his way down to my left breast, and gently took my nipple into his mouth. I whimpered, and I could feel Edward smile against my skin. He lavished my nipple with attention, alternating between sucking, licking and nibbling, before switching to the other one. I was ready to explode at this point, and I fisted my hand in his hair, pulling him away from me.

"I need you in me. Now."

He wasted no time to hook his fingers in the waistband of my shorts and pull them down my legs along with my underwear. I was left a naked, quivering mess of need in front of him as he stood back to admire me. I put my feet up on the counter, spreading my legs and letting him know exactly how much he was affecting me. He groaned low, and then stepped forwards to pull my ass to the end of the counter. Slowly, and with his eyes locked with mine the entire time, Edward unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them and his boxers down to his knees. His hand connected with my sternum, and he slid it down over my stomach.

"Lay back, love," he instructed, voice low and husky. I complied, breaking out in goose bumps when my back met the granite counter top. In this position, I couldn't really see what Edward was doing without craning my neck, and I jumped a bit when I felt him run his dick run along my slit. I was moments away from going mad when he entered me with one hard stroke.

I nearly screamed out in pleasure, and my hips rose to meet Edward, thrust for thrust. This wasn't sweet, or loving, this was plain and simple fucking. I cried out for him to go harder, and I gripped the counter above my head so I wouldn't slide along it. The coil in my stomach was tightening with each thrust, and I could do little else but to moan. Then Edward lifted my knees up and out, and he slid in deeper than ever before. I could feel him hit my g-spot perfectly with every stroke, and in less than a minute I came harder than I ever had in my entire life. While I was still feeling the aftershocks I heard Edward curse low, and felt him release inside of me. He collapsed on top of me, resting his sweaty forehead on my heaving stomach. I ran my hand through his hair, trying not to get caught up in any tangles.

"You okay?" he asked, his breath cold against my sweaty skin.

"Yeah, just a bit cold."

At my words Edward stood up and pulled out of me, before extending a hand in my direction to help me up. I accepted it and hoisted myself up in a sitting position, wincing a bit at my sore back. Edward pulled up his pants and searched the floor for our discarded clothing. I hopped off the counter, but had to hang on to it because my legs wobbled a bit when they connected to the floor.

"Is this new?" Edward asked, and I looked up to see him holding my bra in his right hand, letting it dangle from his index finger.

I nodded, "Yeah, I got it for Christmas."

Edward grinned, the left side of his face lifting slightly higher as usual. "Very nice; you should wear this some other time."

I smiled coyly. "Yeah, preferably some time when you're more in the mood the appreciate it." I snatched the bra from his hand and then took my other clothing from his left hand. "Not that I mind you ripping the clothes off my body. I'm just saying..."

"I can't help that you're so irresistible."

I bit my bottom lip, trying to keep the smile off my face. I wasn't very successful. "I'm gonna get cleaned up real quick, why don't you get us something to eat? I've seem to have worked up an appetite as well." I left the kitchen, putting in an extra bounce in my step as I left a chuckling Edward behind me.

I showered quickly, and then got dressed in my sweatpants and Severus Snape t-shirt. When I got back downstairs I could hear the frying pan sizzling, and the smell of bacon spread through the house. When I entered the kitchen Edward was leaning against the kitchen island, a thick paper in his hands. He looked up when he heard me enter, and shock was written all over his face.

"You got in?"

I felt my cheeks flush red, and I tucked back a piece of hair behind my ear. "Yeah, I got in."

Within seconds, Edward had scooped me up into his arms and swung me around, all while laughing happily. "I'm so happy for you. Bella, this is amazing!" He set me down on my feet and kissed me before I could get a word out. When he pulled away, there was a big smile on his face. "I can't believe it. My girlfriend is going to be a Dartmouth graduate." I turned my head to the side, biting my bottom lip as I mused over his words. Edward's fingers lightly grabbed my chin and turned me to look at him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

I took a deep breath, readying myself for what I was about to say. "I'm not going to Dartmouth."

"Is this about the money? Bella, the scholarship will cover almost all costs, it's nothing to worry about."

"I know, I mean, that's not why I'm turning it down."

Edward frowned, his hand sliding down from my chin to rest at his side. "What do you mean?"

I sighed. "It was Esme that convinced me to apply to Dartmouth, and it was mostly just to see if I could get in. I'm going to University of Washington, I've already accepted." It wasn't a complete lie, what I said about Dartmouth; Esme did convince me to apply, and I didn't even think I would get in. But I had also dreamt about going to Dartmouth since I started high school. I knew that I couldn't go, though. Just the thought of being away from Edward for months at the time was enough to make me feel sick.

"How can you turn down this opportunity down? It's what you've always wanted, you've even said so yourself." He was using that tone of voice I'd heard him use on students, and I really hated it. It made me feel like I was a child being scolded.

I looked at him defiantly. "Maybe it's not what I want anymore. Things change, people change."

He shook his head, his hand going up to pinch the bridge of his nose. I was frustrating him. "They're even offering you a scholarship, and you're just going to throw it all away?"

"I'm not throwing it away." I was starting to get angry. Why was he talking like this? Didn't he want to be close to me while I was at college? "With all the plane tickets home its going to be too expensive anyway, so it doesn't really matter."

"Doesn't matter?" he nearly shouted, and I flinched. "This is the rest of your life we're taking about here!"

"Do you want me to move across the country or something? It sure seems like it." Edward didn't answer, and I kept going. "If you don't want to be in this relationship anymore, all you have to do is say so!" I felt those damn tears start to come up, as they always did when I was angry, so I spun around and ran upstairs. I didn't want him to see me cry. I ran to my bathroom, slamming the door behind me before leaning against it. I breathed in heavily through my mouth, trying by sheer will power to stop the tears from gathering in my eyes. It didn't work, and soon they were running down my cheeks, blurring my vision. I sniffed and sat down on the edge of the bathtub, my head falling forwards and my hair creating a curtain around my face.

I don't know how long I sat there before I heard a hesitant knock on the door. It opened, and I heard Edward's footsteps as he walked into the bathroom. He sighed softly, and then kneeled at my feet. He rested his hand on my knee, and brought my face up with his others so that he could look at me. He looked remorseful, his brows drawn together in a frown.

"Bella, I'm sorry that I upset you, I swear that I didn't mean to."

I sniffed again as my eyes shifted down to my knees, and I dried off the tears with the back of my hand. This was our first argument as a couple, and it didn't exactly feel good. It was a pretty stupid argument anyway, and I felt even more stupid for crying.

"Come on, love, talk to me."

"I feel stupid," I mumbled.

"For what?"

"Crying." I glanced up at him, noticing the way he drove his hand through his hair.

"I made you cry. I'm such a prick Bella, I'm sorry."

I reached up and pulled his hand away from his hair, before lowering our hands to my knee and entwining our fingers. "It's not your fault."

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, it kinda is. I shouldn't have been upset about Dartmouth. It's your education, you don't have to justify your answers to me."

I gave him a small smile, and bent my head to kiss him softly. "We'll discuss this over dinner? I'm starving."

Edward nodded and stood up, pulling me up with him. He then bent down and kissed me chastely. "I love you."

My heart fluttered as his words, and I squeezed his hand. "I love you too."

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Okay, so I know it's been a while and that his chapter is really short and kinda uneventful, but I hope you can forgive me for that. A big part of the time this chapter took was that I tried to write it in Edward's POV, which didn't work out AT ALL. But I can (almost) promise that you'll get an Edward POV chapter before this chapter is finished. If not, I'm going to write an outtake in Edward's POV. The reason for this chapter being so short is that I'm not going to be able to write much for the next three weeks because I have a lot in school (it seems that all the teachers are trying to give us as much tests and homework as possible before graduation), and I wanted to leave you with a little something before I disappeared from the face of the planet. Enough rambling from me, and on with the chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, Twilight and all its characters belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 25**

The bacon Edward had been frying lay burnt in the pan, and an unpleasant smell greeted us when we came downstairs. Edward threw away the burnt pieces in the trash while I went to get the cleaning supplies out. As good as the sex was, there was no way I was getting anywhere near that kitchen island before cleaning it. After thoroughly wiping it down with disinfectant I was satisfied, and I put away the supplied before sitting down by the now clean counter.

"What do you feel like eating?" Edward asked, his back towards me as he rummaged through the freezer. I tried to keep my eyes away from his delectable-looking backside, but it was tough. "There's lasagna, chicken parmesan, and some sort of fish dish."

I cleared my throat, releasing my lower lip from between my teeth without having realized I was biting it in the first place. "Lasagna, please,"

Edward pulled the containers out of the freezer and I helped out by taking out two plates from the cupboard and putting them on the counter before allowing Edward to portion up the food.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" I asked, carrying the plates of lasagna to the microwave.

"Yeah, why not. I'll even let you choose the movie." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I laughed, and put the timer on the microwave before turning it on. "Aren't you scared you're gonna be stuck watching a chick flick?"

Edward chuckled and then I felt him pull my body into his. His arms settled on my hips and he pushed my hair out of the way before kissing my neck lovingly. "I think I'll manage." I gave a low sigh and relaxed my body into his. Edward placed another lingering kiss on my neck before releasing me. I turned to face him, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw his smile. "Why don't you go and pick a movie? I'll be out with our food."

I nodded and rubbed his shirt covered chest, feeling the warmth of his body underneath my palm. He covered my hand with his and brought it up to his mouth, pressing his lips to my knuckles. "I love you."

I smiled, getting that warm and fuzzy feeling I got every time I heard those words. "I love you too."

**--**

"This is the best plan you've ever come up with!" Alice squealed as we walked through King Street Station, and I couldn't help but to agree. It was the day before Valentine's Day, and I had just told Alice about my brilliant plan to get me to stay in Seattle over the weekend, since Edward and I had tickets to the Symphony on Valentine's Day.

"I think so too. I mean, at first I wasn't sure because I thought it would look weird with us going to the Symphony on Valentine's Day, but it was no problem at all." Edward had been amazing; saying that he got the tickets from a friend who was a music professor at UW, and that he wanted to broaden my knowledge of classical music. Amazingly both Esme and Carlisle had agreed immediately, and I highly suspected it had something to do with the fact that it would be an empty house on Valentine's Day.

To both Esme's and Carlisle's knowledge I would be spending Sunday night with Alice, Edward with a friend, and we'd drive back to Forks on Monday. In reality, Edward had booked us a suite at the Sorrento Hotel for Sunday night, the same hotel we had been staying at over Christmas.

"I almost forgot to tell you! I found the perfect dress for you yesterday!" Alice said as we exited through the slide doors and made our way towards Alice's canary yellow Porsche.

I inwardly groaned, but didn't let Alice hear it as I pulled up my hood over my head. In typical Seattle fashion, it was raining. "I thought I was wearing the dress I had for Thanksgiving?" We reached Alice's car, and she unlocked it before opening the trunk and taking my bag from my hands before tossing it in.

She huffed, and if she had been facing me I swear I'd see her rolling her eyes. "Bella _please_, this is the Symphony we're talking about." She turned around, and the look on her face told me that she thought I was mad. "And it's the most romantic holiday of the year; that dress isn't nearly classy enough for this occasion!"

"Do I at least get some say in wether I wear the dress or not?" I sat down in the passenger seat after almost hitting my head on the car frame.

Alice nodded, closing the door after sitting and fastening her seatbelt. "I promise you Bella, if you absolutely hate it we can go shopping for another one." With a bright smile she started the car and we drove off.

It was really nice to see Alice again. We spent the reminder of the Saturday eating junk food and catching up, which mostly consisted of Alice asking for dirty details of my and Edward's sex life.

Later that evening I called Edward, who was still in Forks but was leaving for Seattle in the morning. He laughed when I told him about Alice's inquisition. "It's not funny," I sat down in Alice's plush armchair, folding my legs underneath me.

"Sorry, love." I could hear that he was trying to quench his laughter, and I couldn't help but to smile. "Other than Alice's curiousity about our sex life, are you having fun?"

"Yeah, I am. It's still a bit weird that I can't just see Alice whenever I want like I could last year, but I'm getting used to it."

He was silent for a few seconds, but I could hear his steady breathing. "Do you wish you had more free time so you could visit her more often?"

"Not really. I mean, we're both pretty busy during the weekends with schoolwork, so we probably wouldn't have the time." I paused, realizing why he had asked. "You don't think that you take too much of my time do you?" the silence on the other line was the only answer I needed. "You're not. If it was someone I'd like to me able to see more often it's you. Edward, I only get to see you for more than a few minutes like three times a week. That's not enough for me."

"I know, love. I just don't want you to miss out on anything because of me."

I didn't like the somber tone the conversation had turned to, so I decided to lighten the mood. "If you're going to keep calling me love I'm going to have to come up with a nickname for you."

Edward chuckled. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"How about Eddiekins?" he snorted. "Honeybuns? Pumpkin? My little marshmallow?" I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"Behave Ms Swan, or I'm going to have to punish you," his voice was low and pure sex, sending shivers down my spine. I rubbed my thighs together to try to relieve some of the pressure, and to my complete horror a half moan, half whimper left my mouth. I heard Edward chuckle on the other line.

"Bella, stop talking dirty to your boyfriend! We have some more girltime to get down to!" I heard Alice call from the kitchen, and I sighed.

"I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll pick you up at 7.30?"

I smiled and nodded, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "Sounds good. Goodnight, I love you."

"I love you too, more than you know."

We hung up, and I stared at the phone with a smile on my face for a few seconds before I stood up and went to join Alice in the kitchen.

**Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know. Ps. It's my birthday today, so please review.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I'm still alive! I know I said it would take a while for me to update because I had a lot in school and stuff, but I didn't realize it would take this long, and for that I apologize. The good news is that I only have this week and next week left in school, so I'll be able to update more after that. I hope I haven't lost readers because of this update. The thing about this chapter is that I planned to make it super long, including their entire evening, but then I figured you'd probably want the chapter asap instead, so that's why it's on the little short side. Bella's outfit can be found on my profile. Please review.**

**Disclaimer: I din't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 26**

"You're not nervous are you?"

"No!"

"Bella..."

"Fine, I'm nervous!"

"Why?" Alice twirled another piece of my hair around the curling iron.

"Because! We haven't exactly been out like this before. In public, I mean."

Alice's mouth sort of unhinged from her jaw, giving her the appearance of a fish. "You haven't been out on a date before?"

I shook my head slightly, careful not to get burnt by the curling iron. "Not really. Only if you count your Christmas party as a date."

"I can't believe you've never been on a date,"

"I have!" I defended myself. "Remember 8th grade? I went out with Mike Newton and he tried to feel me up in the car before he dropped me off."

"Yeah right, now I remember." Alice's eyes met mine in the mirror. "But you've never been on a date with Edward."

"Nope. Though, if **he **tried to feel me up at the end of our date, I'd let him," I smirked.

"Well I think this is all very romantic. Taking you to the symphony to listen to Romeo and Juliet, on Valentine's Day? It really can't get anymore romantic than that," Alice sighed, and I could almost see the little hearts in her eyes. She had always been a hopeless romantic.

"When's Jasper coming over?"

"He should be here soon," she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"Have you decided anything else about the wedding?"

"Not really,"Alice shook her head and picked up the last piece of straight hair and twirled it around the curling iron. "The only thing we've decided is that we want to get married in his parents home in Dallas. Okay, you're all done." She handed me a pink plastic bag. "Here, change into this." I eyed the bag warily, and Alice chuckled. "Come on, it's not going to bite you."

"Okay, okay!" I grabbed the bag and made my way to the bathroom. Locking the door behind me I stripped off Alice's robe and laid it out on the counter. I was actually afraid to look into the bag and see what Alice had bought for me, but when I opened the bag it seemed like my fears were ungrounded. I pulled from the bag a lace black strapless bra, a lace thong, and a garter belt with matching thigh high stockings. I blushed when I imagined the look on Edward's face when he saw me in this getup later tonight.

While I hooked the stockings on, I heard the doorbell and a few seconds later I heard Jasper's voice. I quickly threw on and fastened the robe before flying out of the bathroom to greet Jasper. I hadn't seen him in forever!

"Jazz!" I called out, throwing myself into his arms. He laughed as he caught me, a sound that warmed my insides. It had been too long since I saw him.

"Hey Bells, how are you?"

"I'm great actually. How are you?"

He gave Alice a loving look before answering. "I'm also great."

"I don't really want to break up this because I haven't been able to spend time with both of you at the same time since summer, but Bella really needs to get dressed. Edward will be here in 15 minutes."

Panic surged through me, and I quickly darted into Alice's bedroom, where she had laid out both my dress and shoes. The dress really was beautiful, and I had almost lost my breath while looking at it yesterday. It was made out of a satiny fabric, strapless and was in a redish-purple colour. The dress reached down to just above my knees, and actually made it look like I had curves. The shoes Alice was forcing me into had been a hot topic of conversation yesterday; black four inch pumps which I was convinced I was going to fall down and break my neck in.

Once I was dressed and wearing the deathtrap shoes, I walked out in the living-room, where Alice and Jasper were sitting on the couch. Jasper let out a low whistle when he saw me.

"You look incredible, Bella."

I blushed and carefully sat down next to him. "Thank you."

Alice was studying me, her index finger tapping on her lips, and she seemed very concentrated on something. "Something's missing," she muttered to herself, and then her eyes lit up and she hurried into her bedroom. I heard her going through her jewellery box, and her small shout of triumph when she found whatever it was she was looking for. When she bounced back into the living-room, she held a black clutch in one hand, and an undistinguishable piece of jewellery in the other. "This is going to look amazing with your dress!" She held out her hand, and showed off the diamond bangle.

"Alice, I can't borrow that! What if I lose it?"

She rolled her eyes and reached out to grab my wrist. "Don't be silly. It's only going to make you look even more stunning." She clasped the bracelet onto my wrist, which felt cool against my skin.

Right then the doorbell rang, and I could feel my stomach jitter with nerves. Alice gave me a nudge towards the door, and then she and Jasper disappeared into the kitchen. I took a deep breath, smoothed down my dress, and went to open the door.

I opened the door, and I could feel my lips stretch in a wide smile. On normal days Edward took my breath away, but seeing him in a suit actually made me feel week to my knees.

Edward grinned crookedly. "_Breathe_, Bella."

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. "Hi."

His eyes raked over my body before meeting my eyes. "You look too beautiful for words."

I blushed. "Thank you."

"Bella, invite him in!" came Alice's voice from the kitchen, and Edward let out a small chuckle. I stepped aside to let him in, and as he walked past he took my hand in his. I shut the door behind him and then turned to face him. With my heels on I could almost look him straight in the eyes

I kissed him gently, breathing in deeply the smell of his after shave. "I love you,"

Edward stroked my cheek. "I love you too." He stepped back, and held out a square black box that I hadn't noticed before. "I have something for you." I must have looked puzzled to him, because he grinned crookedly. "Happy Valentine's Day."

I was a bit hesitant to open it, knowing Edward had a thing for buying ridiculously expensive gifts. I opened the lid, and gasped. Inside lay the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen, with a three stone diamond pendant hanging from the delicate chain. "Edward, it's beautiful!" I stuttered, raising my eyes to meet Edward's. "Put it on me?"

"Off course." Edward took the necklace from the box and unclasped it, waiting patiently for me to turn around and lift my hair from my neck. I shivered when his fingers brushed against my neck, and my eyes closed involuntarily. I heard the soft sound of the clasp closing, and then Edward let his hands slide down to my waist. He gently kissed my neck, his lips warm against my skin. I dropped my arms, my hands covering his as I turned around in his arms. His eyes were darker than usual, and I'm pretty sure that my eyes reflected the same feelings.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "We should get going, or else we'll be late."

Edward nodded. "Yes, we should."

Alice and Jasper came out from the kitchen, and Alice squealed when she saw the pendant resting between my collarbones. "It's gorgeous! I knew you'd love it!"

I frowned. "You knew about this?"

She rolled her eyes. "Off course! Edward called me a few weeks ago and asked for my opinion on jewellery." She walked past me towards the closet by the front door, from which she pulled out my black trenchcoat. She handed it to me with a smile. "Have fun tonight."

I smiled back. "We will." I put on my coat and buttoned it up before I took Edward's hand in mine and left the apartment. I tripped on our way to the elevator, and my face turned red as Edward chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me."

"I'm not laughing! I just think you're cute."

"Yeah, right."

We arrived at the elevator, and I pressed the call button. The elevator doors opened almost right away, and we stepped into the empty elevator. The moment the doors closed I found myself pressed up against the cool wall, with Edward's arms around my waist and his lips on mine. I kissed him back with as much gusto, burying my fingers deeply in his hair. I moaned when his hands slid down and squeezed my ass. Panting, I broke away from the kiss to try to get my composure back. I have to admit though, it was not easy when Edward's mouth was latched to my neck. My head fell back and my eyes fluttered closed when I felt his tongue come out and trace my skin. Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you want to see it, the elevator doors opened, revealing a middleaged couple. I quickly pushed Edward away, blushing scarlet red as I looked down at my shoes. Edward cleared his throat and through the corner of my eye I saw him raise his arm; probably to run it through his hair. The couple stepped into the elevator, and I raised my eyes. The woman was looking at Edward in a way that made my skin crawl, so I wrapped my left arm around his waist and tugged on his tie with my right one, bringing him down so that I could kiss him.

"So what are we doing first? Dinner?"

Edward shook his head. "I thought we'd eat afterwards, and then go back to the hotel," he gave his panty dropping smile, and my heart fluttered a bit extra. The elevator arrived at the lobby, and Edward clasped my hand in his own before we walked out of the elevator. I stole a glance at the woman, and couldn't help the triumphant smile that spread across my face. Take that biatch!

We walked out on the street, and I shivered a bit in the cool night air. When Edward saw this he pulled me closer to his side, and let go of my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulder instead. I hugged his middle, and despite it being difficult to walk that way, I didn't let go of him until we reached his car.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait, I had it set in my mind to post like a week ago, but then my laptop broke down, and it only got fixed two days ago. I hope you'll like this chapter, and please review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer owns everything.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 27**

Benaroya Hall was one of the most spectacular buildings I had ever seen, and I was in awe of it when we crossed the street to reach it. The lights shone through the bay windows on the cylindrical wall, making the building stand out in the dark night. There were a lot of people going in and out of the doors, most of them couples. It wasn't very surprising though, since it was Valentine's day and all. I gripped Edward's hand a bit tighter, and gave him a beaming smile as we walked through the doors. I looked away from his face, and gasped. The grand lobby was magnificent with a high ceiling and the rest of the building was four stories high. There were a lot of people milling around, and I stayed close to Edward as not to lose him in the crowd. The first thing we did was to check in our coats, and I made sure I didn't leave anything in the pockets of my trenchcoat before handing it to the lady behind the desk.

"We should go and find our seats, the show starts soon," Edward said as he pocketed the badge with the number 184 on it, and he wrapped his arm around my waist before leading me towards the elevators. Still feeling overwhelmed by everything, I followed Edward's lead silently. Once we got off the elevator we walked down a long curved hallway with a lot of doors on the left side. There were fancy dressed people everywhere, and I tried not to notice the way women were checking Edward out. Edward didn't seem to notice, and his eyes didn't leave mine until we came to the end of the hallway. He let go of my waist to open the door, and then made a sweeping motion with his hand.

"Ladies first,"

I smiled. "Thank you."

I walked past him, and then stopped as I overlooked the auditorium. It was magnificent! It was a big hall, with rows and rows of comfy looking chairs. There had to be seats for at least 2000 people, and it looked like a lot of them were here tonight. The box places were almost full on the other side of the auditorium, with people everywhere. Edward's hand on my lower back guided me forwards, and I walked past the row of four seats that was right in front of us. There was a small step down, and I walked carefully; I **did not **want to fall on my face in front of all these people. Our seats were closest to the stage on the right side of the auditorium, and Edward gently pressed me forward to the seat closest to the stage. I sat down, crossing my legs and pulling my dress down a little further. Edward sat down next to me, and I grasped his hand in my own, pulling our joined hands to rest on my lap.

"Are you excited?" Edward asked, his mouth rising up in the crooked grin that I loved so much.

I nodded. "I really am. I've never been to the symphony before." I couldn't help the goofy smile that spread on my face. "Another first I get to share with you."

Edward's smile got wider, and he reached with his free hand to rise up my chin before pressing his lips gently to mine for a sweet kiss. I smiled against his mouth, squeezed his fingers. We broke apart, but I didn't lean away from him. I like being this close to him, close enough that I could see the gold flecks in his green eyes.

"I love you," I said softly.

"I love you too, so much."

Then the lights dimmed out, and I leaned back in my seat, turning my attention towards the stage. The orchestra had taking their place and I waited anxiously for them to begin. A blonde woman had taken the stage, a dark haired man trailing behind her. These were the solo singers, I figured.

Music filled the auditorium, and I listened closely, taking in the music. I didn't know all that much about classical music, so Edward would whisper in my ear the name of the composer and the names of the songs. It slightly threw my concentration off, having Edward whisper names and titles in my ear, his hot breath tickling my skin.

"What did you think?" Edward asked when we stood in line to get our coats 90 minutes later.

I nodded enthusiastically, looking up at him with a bright smile. "It was amazing! The singing was beautiful and the orchestra pieces were absolutely breathtaking."

He smiled, the right corner of his mouth rising higher than the left, but both eyes being reached by it. "I'm glad you liked it. I've made reservations for us at the Metropolitan Grill; it's not very far from here."

"Sounds good."

He leaned down and kissed the top of my head, wrapping his arm tighter around my waist. I snuggled close to his body, moving forwards slightly as the queue did so. Edward, once again, helped me on with my coat, and my heart filled up a little bit more with love for him. Before I met Edward, I didn't know you could love person this much. It felt like every breath I took was for him; every moment of my life devoted to him. When I wasn't with him it was literally hard to breathe, and I got a strange feeling in my stomach.

I pressed my body closer to Edward's as we walked outside; my stocking clad legs didn't offer much protection against the chilly wind. "I wish we could just freeze time right now, and re-live this day for a long time."

Edward chuckled lightly. "I think you'd get pretty bored with the music eventually."

I playfully elbowed his midsection, keeping my eyes forward as I'd probably trip over something if I didn't watch out where I was going. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"I know, and I know what you mean. It seems that we're getting less and less time to spend together."

I looked up at him, only to find his eyes on me, a sad glint in his eyes. I hugged my body closer to his. "We'll always have Seattle."

He broke out in a grin, the sadness disappearing from his eyes. "We'll always have Seattle."

We arrived at the Metropolitan Grill and Edward held open the door, allowing me to go in before him. I looked around the restaurant, and I had to admit that it looked like a really nice place. The floor had soft carpeting, all the wood was a deep mahogany, and the whole place just screamed elegance. The hostess was a tall blonde in her early thirties, and she fired off a million dollar smile when she saw us.

"Welcome to the Metropolitan Grill, how may I be of service to you this evening?"

"We have reservations for two at 9.30 under the name Cullen." Edward said, giving her a small smile. By the look on her face, she seemed pretty affected by him. She wasn't the first, nor would she be the last, woman who was affected by the charm that was Edward Cullen.

She managed to shake herself out of what would else have been a very uncomfortable situation, and looked down at the screen in front of her. "Your table is ready, please follow me." Barely giving me a second glance she motioned for us to follow. I gave a small snort when I saw the way she was overly swaying her hips, making it look a bit like she had a hip fracture. Not a very attractive look, I have to admit. She led us to a booth with plush green velvet seating, and motioned for us to sit down. "Your waiter will be along in a minute." she walked off, but not before giving Edward an appreciatative look. He, oblivious to her as usual, helped me off with my coat before sitting down opposite from me.

"So, what's good to eat here?" I asked while picking up the menu and opening it. I tried not to be bothered by the expensive prices, and told myself that this was Valentine's Day; it was a special occasion.

"I haven't been here in years, but I do remember that they have the best steaks in town."

I hesitated as I looked over the menu. It sounded good, but my stomach didn't handle red meat very well. "I think I'll have the chicken, it sounds delicious."

Edward smiled and grasped my hand on top of the table. "I'm really glad we could have this night to ourselves."

I nodded, blushing slightly. Sometimes I still couldn't believe that he loved me, that he was mine. "Me too." Right then the waiter arrived, and asked if we had made our decisions yet. Edward glanced at me, urging me to order first. "I'll have the Metropolitan Steakhouse Chicken, please."

"Very good, and what would you like to drink?"

I hesitated again, not sure what would be appropriate to order. I didn't want to order wine, and ordering a coke in a place like this felt cheap. "I'll just have water, thank you." I put down the menu on the table as Edward ordered filet mignon, and then gave the waiter a small smile before he left. I looked at Edward. "You could have ordered wine if you wanted too."

Edward shook his head. "I have to drive later, and there's certain things later that I want to be clear headed for."

I blushed again. Damn him for having this effect on me. "Stop being so cheesy, you already know you're gonna get laid tonight, you don't have to try so hard." I heard a shocked gasp behind me, and my eyes got wide. The look on Edward's face was hilarious, and he choked back a laugh. I turned to look at the occupants of the booth behind us, and my face became redder than ever. An old couple sat there, both of them looking shocked at me. I muttered a "sorry," and then turned back to Edward, a sheepish look on my face. He was still trying to quench his laughter, and I couldn't help but to get pulled along in his laughter. "Oh my god!" I clasped my hand over my mouth, trying to stifle the sound. I finally pulled myself together, and tucked my hair behind my ear. "I need to use the ladies room, I'll be right back." I scooted to the end of the seat before standing up, making sure I had my balance before I tried to walk. As I walked past, I felt Edward's hand on the curve of my back, sliding down to my ass. I looked behind me, and he had a smirk on his face. I winked at him, and then continued towards the ladies room.

It was empty, and I did my business before washing my hands and looking at my reflection through the mirror. I didn't really recognize myself. My normally faded complexion had a certain glow to it, and there was brightness in my eyes that I hadn't seen before. I knew though that it had nothing to do with the make up I had on, the expensive jewellery, or the dress. No, it was loving Edward and having him love me back that made me look like this. I thought back on something Carlisle said to me once, 'there's nothing more beautiful than a woman in love'. Maybe he was right.

Feeling like I'd just discovered something new about myself I went back to Edward. I could see that our food had arrived, and I realized then just how hungry I was. I think I actually let out a small moan when I first tasted the food, it was so good. Edward chuckled at me.

"We are definitely coming back here," I said between bites, and he agreed. My words made me think; we hadn't really talked about how our relationship would be once I started at UW in the fall, and it had been weighing down on me ever since I got the acceptance letter. But tonight was not the right time to talk about it, so I decided to wait. As I put down my utensils on my empty plate I inwardly cursed Alice for putting me in such a tight dress. I could practically feel my stomach bulging out from the fabric, but I quickly told myself not to go there. This wasn't the time for those kinds of thoughts.

"I take it you don't want dessert?" Edward asked looking thoroughly amused as I leaned back against the backrest with a sigh.

I shook my head. "No way. I'll be glad if I'm able to walk out of here on my own. Otherwise you'll just have to carry me."

Edward chuckled and grabbed a passing by waiter, telling him we were ready to pay. I stood up slowly, not wanting to risk tripping, and smoothed down the skirt of my dress before I pulled on my jacket. I tried not to think about the large sum of money Edward put on the table, telling myself once again that this was Valentine's Day; splurging was acceptable. Not that Edward hadn't splurged enough already; I had no idea what the necklace cost, but it couldn't have been cheap.

"You ready to go?" Edward asked, and I realized that I had been staring into empty space.

I smiled, "Yeah, I'm ready."

The blonde hostess was at the front desk, and she stood up a bit straighter when she saw us. "Please come back soon,"

I gave her a fake sweet smile, and walked a little closer to Edward. She narrowed her eyes when he let go of my hand and instead wrapped his arm around my waist, his fingers caressing my hipbone.

That's right biatch, he's with me.

Giggling slightly at that immature thought, I nearly walked into the glass door. Edward pulled me back before I could make contact with the door though, and I was glad that I didn't have to live that embarrassment. Edward opened the door for me, and we walked out into the chilly February night.

"You ready to go back to the hotel?"

I nodded, "Let's go," I smirked, "I have a surprise for you,"

Edward raised an eyebrow, his mouth curling in a crooked grin. "Oh really? And what would that be?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise would it?"

He laughed, and tugged on my arm to make me stop. "Is it a good surprise?" he tightened his arm around my waist, drawing me into his body.

I nodded coyly and leaned up to wrap my arms around his neck. "It's a _very_ good surprise." I closed the distance between us and placed a hard kiss on his lips, opening my mouth right away to trace his bottom lip with my tongue. A rumble erupted from his chest as he kissed me back, his tongue tasting of steak and his own cinnamon like taste. He used his other arm to pull me even nearer to him, making me lean almost all my weight on his body. I pulled back when I couldn't breathe, and opened my mouth to tell Edward that I loved him, but another voice sounded in the air.

"Bella? Edward? What's going on?"

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: I bet you're glad it didn't take me long to get this chapter up, huh? I want to thank everybody that reviewed the last chapter, and added to alerts/favourites. Although I wish that those that added to alerts/favourites ALSO reviewed, since I have almost 40,000 hits but only 177 reviews, which means that not everybody is reviewing. Anyway, you're probably dyingto read the chapter, so go ahead. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 28**

"_Bella? Edward? What's going on?" _

I froze, wishing with every fiber in my body that I were just imagining things. That wasn't Esme's voice, was it? I turned my head to the left, and nearly fainted. Standing on the sidewalk were Esme and Carlisle, both with different facial expressions. Esme's face spoke of shock and then disappointment, while Carlisle's face was livid.

"What the hell is going on?"

I had never seen Carlisle this mad, and I pressed my body closer to Edward in actual fear of the kind and compassionate man who had been like a father to me for almost two years. I looked up at Edward, and he looked as shocked as I felt.

Esme cleared her throat, and I felt my heart break into pieces when I saw tears gathering in her eyes. I was a disappointment, I knew it. "Why don't we all go home and discuss this? Edward where is your car?"

"Benaroya Hall," he said, his voice sounding disturbingly robotic and detached.

Esme nodded and looked like she was taking a moment to compose herself. "I'll see you at home then."

I was still in shock, and Edward nearly had to drag me away. I stumbled along side him, my head cooking up different kinds of scenarios for how the conversation at home would go down, none of which ended in a good way. We didn't talk as we walked towards the car, I couldn't think of anything to say, and I bit down hard on my bottom lip to stop the tears from falling down my face. After what seemed like no time at all, Edward was opening the car door for me and helping me sit down before going around the car to get in. I was vaguely aware of the car starting, but we weren't moving.

"Hey." I turned to look at Edward. He was frowning, and I wanted to reach over and smooth out the lines on his forehead, but my hands wouldn't cooperate. "Are you okay?"

"We should have told them."

Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But it's too late for that now."

I turned my head to look out the window, and my eyes followed the road as Edward pulled out of the parking lot. Once we were on the highway he took my hand in his, resting them both in my lap. He only let go of my hand to put on the radio, allowing soft music to fill the car. I thought back to the last time Edward and I made love, with a nagging feeling in my stomach that it had been the last time.

_Flashback _

_I was warm; encased in a warm cocoon. I felt warm breaths on my neck, a slight tightening around my waist, and Edward's body moving behind me. I stretched out my body, feeling his hard erection against the curve of my ass. _

"_Mmm, morning," Edward mumbled into my neck, placing a kiss right below my ear. His hand slid up from my waist to cup my breast, his fingers gently twisting and pulling my nipple until it hardened. _

"_Morning," I moaned, feeling my body start to wake up by his ministrations. _

_I arched my back, pushing my ass back into his erection and grinding my hips up and down. Edward groaned, and his hand left my breast and instead traveled down to circle around my clit. My legs spread instinctively, and pushed my hips up in his hand. With my other hand, I reached behind me and grabbed a hold of his erection, moving my hand slowly up and down._

_Edward groaned louder and his fingers slipped down to my entrance, teasing me for a few seconds before he slid two fingers into me, causing a loud moan to leave my mouth. I wasn't a great multi-tasker, so my hand left Edward's erection and instead I fisted my hand into the sheet in front of me, pushing my hips back into his hand. He angled his hand so that the base of his palm pressed down against my clit with every stroke. I felt the coil in my stomach getting wound tighter and tighter, and when Edward sucked the skin beneath my ear into his mouth, I came. _

_I was panting like crazy, and had barely come down from my orgasm when Edward lifted my left leg over his hip and I felt him guide his dick over my slit. We both groaned when he pushed into me slowly, and I turned my head back so that I could kiss him. He started to move slowly, pulling out almost the entire way before pushing back in. Every time he pushed back in, I felt him against my G-spot, and it made me see tiny start behind my closed eyelids. _

_Then he stopped, and I cried out in frustration. I opened my eyes to look at him, and I saw the same look in his eyes as I did before he fucked me on the kitchen island. "I want to try something. Do you trust me?"_

_I nodded. "With my life." _

_He pulled out of me, and reached over my head to grab a pillow. "Roll over on your stomach." I did as instructed, and Edward put the pillow underneath my hips. "Spread your legs a bit wider." Again, I did as he instructed so that my legs were spread pretty far apart. I bent them slightly, feeling a slight cramp coming on if I'd continued having them straight, and waited anxiously for Edward to do whatever it was he was about to do. _

_I moaned when I felt him place feather-light kisses on my spine, starting at the base of my neck and traveling down towards my ass. His body covered mine, and I felt his dick run up and down my slit._

"_Let me know if it hurts, okay?" _

_I nodded, and then gasped as he slowly pushed into me. In this position, he felt bigger than usually and I bit my lip to stifle the moans threatening to spill out. After what felt like hours, he was fully in me, and I felt Edward's panting breaths in my ear as he lay fully on top of me. He was leaning on his elbows as not to smother me, and I grabbed his hands in mine, entwining out fingers. _

_As Edward started to move inside of me, I groaned loudly, burying my face in my pillow. Even though he was barely moving, every thrust felt like a mini orgasm. Every time he was fully sheathed inside of me he hit my G-spot, making me buck my hips upwards._

"_Harder." I turned my head to look at him, meeting his lips in a sweet kiss. He started to thrust harder, and my moans were lost inside his mouth. I don't know how long we were going at it, but all of the sudden my inner muscles clamped down on him and I rode out a huge orgasm. As I came down from the Edward-induced high, I felt and heard him come, and then he collapsed on top of me. He didn't stay there long, but rolled to the side as to not crush me. I turned my head and looked at him lying next to me, panting like he'd run a marathon. _

"_That was different." I said, and he looked at me, grinning crookedly._

"_Good different?"_

_I nodded. "Good different." _

_End flashback._

We didn't say anything for the rest of the car ride, and the silence weighed heavy in the air. The lights were on downstairs when we pulled up at the house and I was dreading going inside despite the fact that it looked very warm and welcoming.

Edward stopped the car, but made no move get out. Instead, he turned to me, and I had trouble figuring out the look in his eyes because of the darkness. "Despite anything that happens when we walk inside, remember that I love you, and I always will."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I love you too." He leaned over and kissed me, and I got a strange feeling in my stomach that this was our last kiss.

My feet felt heavy as I walked up the steps, and Edward's hand on my lower back was the only thing keeping me from turning around and running away. But then again, running away never solved any problems. It only made them bigger.

Both Esme and Carlisle was sitting in the living room, looking tense. Carlisle was holding a glass of what I assumed to be scotch, and when we walked in, he took a big gulp before standing up.

"Edward, my office. Now." He didn't look at neither of us as he turned around and walked up the stairs.

Edward pressed a hard kiss to the top of my head, and I heard him proclaim his love for me before he walked up the curved staircase that would take him to Carlisle's office. I could see the tension in his body, and I wanted to hug him, whispering that I loved him until all his tension disappeared. Once he had walked around the corner and I couldn't see him anymore I turned to look at Esme. Once I did, I felt like crying.

"Why don't you take off your coat and join me in the kitchen?" Her kind tone made me a bit confused, but I did as she said anyway. While hanging up my coat I took the opportunity to kick off the pumps, my feet screaming in pain. Well, you know what they say; no pain no gain. Still wearing my fancy dress, I walked silently into the kitchen where Esme sat at the breakfast bar with two steaming mugs in front of her. She didn't say anything as I sat down, only sipped her tea.

"How long has this been going on?" She asked, her tone not changing from her usual kind one. She still wouldn't look at me, though.

"Since Christmas."

"Do you love him?" now she looked at me, and I saw no judging in her eyes.

I nodded. "More than I ever thought possible."

"You should have told us."

"I know. But we were afraid you wouldn't understand, because of the age difference."

"I'm not mad; I'm only disappointed that you felt you couldn't trust me."

Right then I heard a door slamming against a wall, and I jumped up from the stool. I hurried to the living room at the same time that Edward came downstairs, looking both angry and frustrated. I met him at the foot of the stairs, and I immediately knew that something was wrong. He looked angrier and more frustrated than I had ever seen him.

"I have to go," he said through clenched teeth as he breezed past me. My body only froze for a second before I re-gained control over my limbs and could run after him.

"What did Carlisle say? What happened?" I grabbed his sleeve just inside the front door, forcing him to stop.

He wouldn't look at me. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

He finally looked at me, and I gasped when his eyes met mine. His eyes were dead; no sign of any emotion could be seen in them. "Us."

It was like he'd slapped me across the face. My heartbeat sounded loud to my ears, and so did my breaths. "What are you saying?"

"You're no good for me, Bella. I need to be with someone my own age; someone equal." His eyes shifted from mine, but they were still vacant. "I won't bother you anymore; you're free to live a normal life." And with those words, he turned around and walked out the door and into the rain.

He was lying, he had to be! I refused to believe what he was saying.

I ran after him, not feeling the cold rain pounding down on my body. "Wait!" I screamed, and Edward stopped just in front of his car. "You said you loved me!"

"I don't," his voice was low; I could barely hear him over the rain. "You were just a distraction."

I stood frozen as he got into the Volvo and drove away, the sound of the rain hitting the car booming in my ears.

Then, he was gone.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know. Also, I'm going to be writing the talk between Edward and Carlisle as an outtake, and post sometime when I have time. **


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Firstly; I've never gotten so many reviews on a chapter like I did on the previous one, so THANK YOU EVERYBODY. I'm blown away by your support. Second, this is too short for my liking, but it felt like a good place to cut it off. Hopefully, the next chapter will be both long and not take to long to get up. Read and review, please :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, everything Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 29**

**March**

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**Time passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when you feel like every second is as long as a year, time passes. Even for me. **

"Bella, honey?" I looked up from my algebra homework at Esme, who was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you go out with Angela or Jessica tonight? You shouldn't spend Friday night doing homework."

"Jessica has a date with Mike, and Angela is babysitting her brothers." I turned back to my notebook, pressing in the numbers on my calculator before writing them down.

Esme sat down next to me and lightly put her hand on my arm. "I'm worried about you sweetie."

"Why?" I hadn't done anything in the past two months to warrant her worry. I went home every day after school and did my homework, my chores, watched TV and then went to sleep. It was a good routine; I was averaging on a 3.9 GPA and I always did more than Esme asked of me at home.

"Because you never see your friends anymore, you just spend time here or at school. When was the last time you talked to Alice?"

I looked down at my homework again, because I knew that she was right. I hadn't talked to Alice in over two weeks, and the last time I went anywhere after school was when I had to pick up new notebooks in Port Angeles, to which I went alone. "I was just about to call her," I lied through my teeth, feeling guilty for doing so, but I couldn't help it. Esme didn't deserve this from me.

Esme got a peculiar look on her face that I couldn't figure out what it was, and then she said what I'd hoped she wouldn't say. "Have you talked to Edward?"

The mention of his name caused a fresh wave of pain in my heart, but I masked it well. I hadn't talked to him since February, and I didn't see him in school as much. It seemed as he stayed in his office when he didn't have class. I stood up from the table, gathering my books as I spoke. "No I haven't, and I don't plan to. We broke up, it's natural."

"Bella-"

"I'm gonna go to bed, I'm tired." I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She smiled sadly at me. "Goodnight darling."

"Goodnight."

I did my night routine almost in a trance, not really paying any attention to anything. I hoped, as usual, when I crawled into bed and turned out the lights, that tonight I wouldn't be haunted by dreams of cold eyes and harsh words.

To please Esme I called Angela the next day and asked if she wanted to hang out with me. She agreed, and if was right after lunch when I got into my car and drove towards Angela's house. It was a rare sunny day, and I rolled down the windows all the way, basking in the rare sunshine. When I arrived Angela had made lemonade, and we sat outside on her back porch. She was home alone; her parents had taken her brothers to Port Angeles to buy new shoes.

"How are you doing? Really, I mean." She asked, looking very worried.

"I'm great, why do you ask?"

Angela gave me a look that said that she didn't believe my bullshit for a second. "I know you're not great; you've practically been a zombie for months." She paused, and I could see that she was complementing her next words. "Does it have anything to do with Edward?"

I choked on the lemonade I was drinking and started coughing. It took a few minutes for me to get my breathing under control, and while I did I started to panic. How did she know about Edward? "What do you mean?"

Angela sighed and turned to face me. "I've suspected there was something between you two for a while. It made sense; the way you looked whenever Jessica and Lauren would talk about him, how the both of you seemed to have good and bad days exactly the same days. Then after Valentine's Day, it changed. You both became so withdrawn; looking like you hadn't slept in weeks and never smiling."

I was speechless. I had no idea Angela was so observant, and I'd failed to remember that she had him as a teacher in one of her music classes. To my horror I felt tears start to form in my eyes. Angela's face softened and she grasped my hand in hers. I knew she wouldn't push me to tell her, but wait until I was ready.

"I love him." After admitting that; I told her everything, from meeting him in Seattle to that fateful night almost three months ago. To her credit, Angela didn't say anything while I spoke, she only listened. Only when I was finished did she speak.

"You haven't talked to him since?" I shook my head. "I think you should." I raised my eyebrows. Why would I subject to something like that? He'd made it pretty clear how he felt about me when I saw him last. "He's been a mess Bella, I've noticed."

That didn't sound good. He couldn't still love… No! I had to believe that he didn't love me; otherwise these past three months would have been for nothing. "Can we talk about something else, please?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah, off course. So, how about this crazy weather we've been having?"

I chuckled. God, how I loved this girl.

On Monday I tried to be more like my old self, for Angela's sake. I spoke and laughed more than I had in weeks; I put on a little make up and I wore a blue sweater I hadn't worn in months for the simple reason that blue was Edward's favourite colour on me.

Even when I spotted the back of Edward's head in the crowded hallway I didn't crumble. I was proud of myself.

"Hey Bella?" Mike asked me at lunch, and I caught Jessica giving me a dirty look. Great, what was her problem now? "I was wondering, do you have a date for the prom yet?"

Fuck. I'd totally forgotten about the prom; which was in only two weeks. I glanced at Angela for a rescue, but she was busy talking to Ben. "I'm actually not going at all. Alice is coming down from Seattle that weekend, and I'm spending it with her." It was 100% true, but I knew I needed to come up with something more tangible. Mike was nothing if not persistent.

Mike's face fell. "Can't she come another weekend?"

I shook my head. "She's already taking that weekend off from work. You should ask Jessica instead, I'm sure she'd love to go with you." I started to gather my tray and stand up. "I have to return a book to the library before class, I'll see you later."

I half-ran from the cafeteria as to not get wet from the rain that had been falling the entire day. Once inside I got the book from my locker and walked towards the library. As I rounded the corner I almost ran in to someone, and I looked up to apologize, but my breath caught in my throat.

Edward.

He froze, just as shocked to see me as I him. He looked terrible; pale as a ghost and with dark circles underneath his eyes.

"Bella."

It was the first time I'd heard his voice in three months, and I hated how I made me feel. "Edward."

Silence erupted, and I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.

"How-"

"I'm-"

We spoke at the same time, and he gave a small chuckle. "You go first."

"I'm actually in a hurry,"

"Oh," his face fell. "I won't keep you then."

Though I knew he didn't mean it like that, my heart clenched at his words. "Goodbye Edward." Even to my ears it sounded like a final farewell. I walked past him quickly, and didn't look back once. Returning the book to the library, I walked along the shelves to the most secluded corner I could find.

It was there that I broke down and cried.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? (Next chapter will be Edward's POV)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Okay, I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry for that. But the truth is that I'm a slow writer, always has been. and also, writing Edward's POV nearly did me in, I considered skipping it entirely for a while. But, I didn't, even though the whole chapter isn't EPOV. On to other things; I'll be leaving for London in like an hour and a half, and I won't be back until Monday. Soooo, don't expect a chapter until Wednesday absolute earliest. Also, I have a new story in the making which I'll post the first chapter of the same time as I post chapter 31, so make sure you have me on author alert. On with the show :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I just like to mess with their heads.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 30**

**EPOV**

If someone would have asked me about the last few months of my life, I wouldn't have been able to tell them anything. I couldn't remember a thing about my life from the moment I stepped out through Carlisle's front door while shattering the only thing in my life that had made sense. I was lying, off course I was lying. How could I not? Bella was the only woman I'd ever loved; the only one who really knew me. But Carlisle's words pounded in my ears.

_You'll destroy her life._

_It's not healthy._

_She can't have a n__ormal life as long as the two of you are together._

I knew it wasn't fair, to either of us. I honestly didn't expect her to believe the lies, not after everything we'd been through. Was I glad that she believed me? Both yes and no. Yes because in a short while she'll forget about me, go off to college and find a guy more suitable for her. Teenage hormones were fickle, and first love never lasts.

I had become a creature of habit; wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to sleep. Repeated daily. I tried my best not to think of Bella, not wanting to torture myself further. Sometimes I couldn't help myself though, and that was primarily on the days I happened to see her in school.

February turned into March, which melted into April. Esme stopped by my house a few times for dinner, and we talked about everything except for Bella. That topic was off limits. Carlisle's and my relationship was strained, but I still saw him once a week.

"Enough!" I looked up from my plate and into Esme's angry eyes. I'd never seen her like this before, and I frowned. "I can't keep watching you do this to yourself, Edward."

I knew instantly what she meant, and I completely lost my appetite. "I'm not doing anything." I was well aware that I sounded like a petulant child instead of a 26 year old man, but right now I didn't care.

"Yes you are. You're hurting over this Edward, I know that. Now, I don't know exactly what my husband told you to make you say all those awful lies to her, and I don't even want to know. But mark my words Edward, you need to fix it."

"No I don't. It was good while it lasted, but I'm not right for her."

She shook her head, looking like she was getting angrier by the second. "That's bullshit." It was definitely a shock hearing those words come out of sweet Esme's mouth. "When we saw you that night in Seattle, I've only seen such love between two people a handful of times in my life. You're absolutely perfect for each other; you're just too stubborn to see it." Her voice turned softer. "I know you Edward; you tend to think in the extremes. Black or white, so to speak. Either everything is fairytale peachy keen with your and Bella's relationship, or you can't be in one at all when it gets rough. But Edward, relationships can't work like that. Nobody's life is perfect, and everybody makes mistakes. Just like the one you're doing right now. Just because you hit a rough spot doesn't mean that it should all go down the drain. Carlisle overreacted, like he's known to have done many times before and will more than likely do again. He simply did what he thought was right, even if it wasn't."

I fisted my hands in my hair, leaning my elbows on the table and pulling. The slight pain in my scalp helped to distract me from the pain I felt inside as I considered Esme's words.

I needed to make this right by Bella. But how, and would she even listen to me?

The next day in school was a strange one. When I taught band I caught Angela Weber looking at me more than once. She was a sweet girl, and a friend of Bella's, I knew. When class was over I started tidying up the room; it amazed me just how messy the room could become after 45 minutes of band practise.

"Mr. Masen?"

I looked up to see Angela standing in the doorway, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes Ms Weber?"

"Are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in a while, sir." Her voice was shy, timid, and I frowned a bit. Why was she wondering?

"I'm fine Ms Weber, there's nothing for you to concern yourself about."

She gave a very small smile. "Just wanted to make sure. Have a nice day, sir."

"You too Ms Weber."

As I ate my lunch in my office I thought about my conversation with Angela earlier today. Why was she suddenly so interested in my wellbeing? Had she been talking to Bella? I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. This was driving me insane. I could feel the beginning of a headache coming up, and I left my office to ask for an aspirin in the nurse's office.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I collided into a soft body as I rounded the corner. I opened my mouth to apologize, but the words lodged in my throat as I saw who I'd collided with.

Bella.

I froze, looking shocked at her. Her face mirrored my expression, and I took a moment to look her over. She looked beautiful as usual, in a blue sweater and with her hair falling around her pale face.

"Bella." I couldn't help it; I uttered her name in a voice full of love and despair. I hoped she didn't notice.

"Edward." It was the first time I'd heard her voice in nearly three months, and it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.

We both went silent, and you could cut the tension with a knife. I needed to say something, fast.

"How…"

"I'm..."

We spoke at the same time, and I gave a small chuckle. I decided to be a gentleman and let her speak first. "You go first."

"I'm actually in a hurry,"

"Oh," my face fell. I should have known she didn't want to talk to me. "I won't keep you then." The moment the words were out of my mouth I realized how it could be interpreted, and I mentally cursed my choice of words.

"Goodbye Edward." She walked past me quickly, and there was a pit in my stomach that said that this was a final goodbye. I couldn't let that happen.

Turning around I raced back to my office and picked up the phone, dialling a number I hadn't called in months.

"Hello, this is Edward. I need your help, can we meet this weekend?"

**B****POV**

I didn't go to class after my run in with Edward. Instead I went to the nurse and faked feeling sick, and then left the school. I tried to keep myself together, I didn't want to cry while I was driving, but it was a lost cause fighting it. Before I had even turned out from the parking lot tears were pooling in my eyes and I reached up to brush them away. My fingers were black when I put them back on the steering wheel and I groaned, having forgotten that I put on make up this morning. My vision was still blurry when I turned out on the main road, and I blinked to try to regain my sight. As I came to the crossroad that would lead me home if I turned right, I hesitated. If I turned left, I would be at Edward's place in 10 minutes.

I jumped in my seat when a blaring horn sounded behind me, and I realized I'd been sitting there for a few minutes. Quickly and before I could change my mind, I turned on the left indicator and turned out on the road that would lead me to Edward's house. It was a strange feeling, since I hadn't been on this road or at Edward's house for so long. It felt like only a few seconds that I turned up on Edward's driveway, and I felt a tightening in my stomach. Turning the car off I leaned back in my seat, looking up at the house where I had so many memories from.

The first time I pleasured Edward with my mouth.

The first time we exchanged 'I love yous'.

As I thought about New Years Eve a sob bubbled up in my chest, but I suffocated it quickly, refusing to cry anymore today. I looked around the neighbourhood, making sure that no one was outside and watching me before I got out of the car and walked up to the front door. The key he'd given me still hung from my keychain, and I felt its heavy weight in my pocket every day.

I don't know why, but a part of me half expected that the key wouldn't work, that Edward had found another way to keep me out of his life. So I was semi surprised when the locked clicked, and the door opened. Inside, everything looked the same. It was strange; I thought things would look different, feel different. But they didn't. I walked through the house, looking around every room and taking in memories I had from every space.

Snuggling up on the couch.

Conversations at the kitchen table.

Laughter in the bathroom, trying to fit both of us comfortable in the bathtub.

Making love in the bed, bodies tangling in each other.

I paused in the doorway to the bedroom, my hand coming up to rest on the door frame. The bed was unmade; the cover thrown back and crumpled on the sheet. The blue pillow had a dent in the middle, where Edward's head had lain. Almost on pure instinct my body moved forwards, towards the bed. I turned around and sat down, feeling the mattress compress below my weight. I kicked my shoes off and lay down, pulling my legs up underneath the cover. I turned my face into the pillow and breathed in deeply, feeling my heart tug when the familiar smell of Edward filled my nostrils. I closed my eyes, relaxing further into the mattress, my hands clutching the pillow. Tears fell silently down my face, but I didn't have the energy to brush them away.

Esme wasn't home when I arrived nearly an hour later, and it was for the best. I looked terrible; eyes swollen with tears and my whole demeanour screamed that I was upset. As I stood in the shower, washing away all the reminders of today, I thought about this weekend, and how good it would be to see Alice again. I missed her like hell, and I knew that I could vent all my frustrations on her.

As I went down to dinner I heard raised voices from the kitchen. Carlisle and Esme were arguing. Again. They had been doing that a lot lately, and I couldn't help but to feel responsible for that.

"I can't just stand and watch them like this anymore! They both suffer so much, it's cruel!" Esme sounded near tears, and my heart broke for her.

"It's for the best Esme; it would only have caused them pain in the long run." Carlisle's voice was calm, like always.

"You don't know that! They loved each other…"

"Their love would have broken them," Carlisle interrupted.

"Love didn't break them, you did! How could you have said all those lies to him? Don't you want Edward to be happy?"

Wait, what? What lies? I frowned, walking closer to the kitchen.

"Off course I want him to be happy, and Bella too," Carlisle's voice was resigned. "I simply did what I thought was best."

Bits and pieces started to form together in my mind, and I gasped at my revelation. It was Carlisle who had made Edward say those things; Carlisle who had planted the seeds of doubt in his mind. Carlisle was the reason we'd both been miserable. I needed to talk to Edward, as soon as possible. I pulled out my phone and was no my way to dialling his number when something stopped me. Even though they were fabricated by Carlisle, the words Edward had uttered to me that day still haunted me. I let my phone glide back into my pocket. Now I really needed to speak with Alice. She could help me fix this.

******Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter - I did a little happy dance when I read them. London was AMAZING, and I'm thinking I want to write a story based there soon :P Without further ado, here's the next chapter. Bella's outfit can be found on my profile.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Stephenie Meyes owns everything.**

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 31**

Alice was waiting for me when I got home from school on Friday afternoon, and when I spotted her black hair in the living-room I pounced, hugging her so hard it was almost painful.

"Jesus Bella, are you really that happy to see little ol' me?"

I nodded silently into her hair. Unwillingly, I let her go and stepped back to look at her. "I need your help Alice,"

Noticing my tense face she figured out what I needed her help with, and she lit up in a bright smile. "Of course! Where do you want to start?"

10 minutes later we were assembled in my room, a plate of Esme's homemade brownies sitting between us on the bed. I had just finished telling Alice about my revelation, and she finished the brownie she was chewing on before she spoke. "What exactly do you need me to do?"

I hesitated. "Help me believe that what he said was just lies."

"You know it was all lies. Edward loves you a lot."

I sighed, leaning my head in my hands. "Why can't I believe it? Why is it that all my heart remembers is his cruel words?"

"Because you haven't heard it from him," I looked up at Alice, frowning. What did she mean? "It doesn't matter if **I **say that he still loves you; you need to hear it from him. But Bella, are you sure you're ready for this? Almost everywhere you go people are going to judge your relationship because of the age difference. Are you strong enough for that?"

I nodded, no doubt in my mind. With Edward by my side I could take on anything.

The next morning I wanted to call Edward as soon as I woke up, but Alice convinced me to wait until later. I don't know why, but I got the feeling she was keeping me from calling Edward. Finally, after eating a late lunch, I confronted her.

"Enough Alice! What's going on with you?"

She fidgeted, actually looking nervous. "I'm sorry, but it's been for a good reason. You're going out tonight."

"We're going out? Where?"

She shook her head. "Not we. **You**. To the prom."

My eyes bulged out of my head. "What?"

"Don't be mad,"

"Why exactly am I going to the prom?"

"Because it's your last chance. Everybody should go to their senior prom."

I hesitated. "What about Edward?"

"You can call him tomorrow." Alice moved to the closet, where she had hung a garment bag yesterday, which I'd been curious about what was inside. She opened it, and my mouth fell open in shock. In her hands was the most beautiful dress I'd ever seen. The dress was light gray, and made of a silky-chiffon fabric. The bodice was ruched, and had transparent crystal embellishment on the sweetheart neckline.

"Alice, it's gorgeous! Where did you find this?"

"I made it; it was my spring project."

I was in shock. I had no idea Alice was **this** talented. "You made this? I can't wear it; it must be really special to you."

She shook her head. "No Bella, I made this for you, I've been looking forward to this day since Christmas. So, what do you say?"

I hesitated only for a second. "Let's do this."

We started right away, Alice turning on the curling iron on the bathroom. She then made me change into a button down shirt so I wouldn't mess up my hair later. A pair of dark blue pumps I didn't know I owned were pulled from my closet and set down next to the dress. Alice started on my hair, curling it piece by piece. She had just finished putting up the last strand in an updo when Esme entered the room.

"You are going to look stunning, honey."

I smiled at her through the mirror. "Thank you."

"I need to tell you something." I frowned as she sat down on the toilet seat. "I'm sure you know that Carlisle has had a part in this whole mess with you and Edward." My heart clenched at her words as I remembered the words I'd heard her and Carlisle utter days prior. Esme continued, "We've been talking extensively about this for a while, and I've managed to convince Carlisle to not stand in the way of your and Edward's relationship. He realized now that he was wrong." She rolled her eyes slightly. "Men, right? Takes them forever to admit that they're wrong. But the important thing is that he knows that he was wrong, and he really hopes that you'll forgive him."

"Of course I will." There was no doubt of it. I couldn't **not** forgive him. "Has he told you why he reacted like he did?"

"I don't know for sure; even Carlisle said that he didn't fully understand his reaction. But a big part of it was concern for you. You've been through so much Bella, and Carlisle loves you like a daughter. When he looked at you and Edward he saw something that had the potential of hurting you, and so he reacted to it. A bit stupid, but that's how it is."

I was silent for a moment. "I can understand that, to a certain point. But I don't understand it completely. I don't think I'll ever will. But it's over now, there's no use dwelling on the past."

Esme reached out and patted my hand. "I agree. Speaking of, I have something for you." She reached out her other hand towards me, and I gasped. In her hand was a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings, sparkling slightly in the light. "I was going to wait until you graduate before I gave you this, but now seemed like a better time."

I turned to face her, glad that Alice was finished with my hair. "They're exquisite! Esme, I can't accept them."

"Yes you can, and you will. Think of it as a present from a mother to her daughter."

Tears pooled in my eyes and I rose from my seat to hug her. "Thank you, so much. You're the best mother anyone could ask for."

She pushed me back and held my face between her hands. "No, thank **you**. You've given me so much more than I'd ever imagined."

I heard a sniffle to my right, and I turned my head to see Alice, tears streaming down her face. "I love you guys so much." She joined in on our hug, and we all stood there in the bathroom, embracing and crying.

It took us a few minutes to calm down, and then Alice wiped away her tears and stated she needed to start on my make up, or else I'd be late. I brushed away my tears and carefully dabbed my face with cold water to ease the redness down. Esme left us to fend for ourselves, putting down the earrings on the counter top. I was beginning to feel nervous, and I wrung the tail ends of my shirt between my fingers while Alice did her best to calm me down. When it was time to get dressed though, I was a wreck.

I have to admit it, when I looked at myself through the floor length mirror in my room I felt more beautiful than ever. The dress and high heels made me look tall and slim; the make-up enhanced my eyes and made them look bigger and more alive, and I absolutely loved the hairstyle. I truly felt like I was going to a movie premiere or something.

I walked down the stairs slowly, not wanting to risk falling down. Alice, Esme and Carlisle were waiting for me downstairs, and they all looked shocked when they saw me.

Carlisle was the first to speak. "Bella, you look exquisite." He lightly grasped my upperarms and leaned forward to kiss my forehead.

"Thank you."

He pulled back to look at me. "I hope you can forgive me for the pain I've caused you these last months, I only did what I thought was best."

I nodded. "All's forgiven. I can't blame you for wanting to look out for me, even though you overreacted."

Esme stood behind him, clutching my coat to her chest with a teary smile. As I smiled at her I heard a clicking sound, and I turned to see Alice with my camera, snapping pictures. I felt my face starting to flush red as she took picture after picture at different angles.

"Alice, I think that's enough. You don't want to be late," Carlisle smiled, taking the camera from her hands and turning it off.

"You're going too?" I asked her, surprised.

She shook her head, taking my coat from Esme and helping me put it on. "No, I'm just the driver. Fancy car, remember? You have to arrive at the prom with style." She was right. Her canary yellow Porsche 911 would mean I'd arrive to the prom like a movie star. I hugged Esme and Carlisle goodbye, and then we left.

The prom was being held at the gym, since Forks didn't have a venue suitable for a prom. Alice drove up almost to the entrance of the building before putting the car in park and turning in her seat to face me. "Everything's going to be great. You have nothing to worry about." I knew she was talking about my calling Edward in the morning, and I nodded.

I smiled slightly. "I hope so. Thank you for fixing all this for me."

"Hey, what are best friends for? Now get in there and enjoy yourself. I'll be back at midnight to pick you up." She handed me my purse, and I squeezed her hand before I got out of the car.

My knees shook as I walked into the building. The walk down the hallway seemed mile long and I focused on breathing deeply. There were papers stuck on the locker room door which let me know that you could leave your coat there. This was starting to feel a lot like a middle school dance, but I pushed those thoughts aside. The locker room was empty, although there were a lot of jackets hanging in there. I removed my jacket and hung it up on a free hook and then went to a mirror to look over my appearance one last time. Satisfied that my make-up hadn't run or something I took a calming breath and walked to the door that would take me to the gym. Before I had a chance to reach it however, it opened and a giggling Jessica and Lauren entered. The stopped when they saw me, and I noticed both of them looking me over. It was with a small sense of pride that I recognized jealousy in their eyes; I knew I looked better than them. Lauren's dress was tight, bright red and almost made her boobs pop out while Jessica's dress was a frilly nightmare in a shade of pink that made her look a bit like a pig.

"Bella, what are you doing here?" Jessica asked, her voice shrill. Was it me, or did she look a bit panicked?

"Its prom," I said, as if that would explain everything.

"I thought you were hanging out with Alice," Jessica said and Lauren sneered. That's right; Alice and Lauren didn't get along. At all.

"She forced me to come," I said calmly. "I'll see you in a while I presume." I moved past them and opened the door, stepping out into the gym quickly. It seemed like almost everyone in the senior class was here, and I spotted a few students from lower grades as well.

"Bella!"

My eyes focused on Angela, who was walking rapidly towards me. She was wearing a periwinkle blue dress which looked beautiful on her, and her face was lit up in a smile. "Angela, hey."

She hugged me tightly. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you were coming. You look beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you, so do you. Alice semi-forced me to come here. I can't say that I regret it, though. You only get one senior prom."

"That's true. You wanna dance?"

"I don't dance Angela, you know that."

She chuckled. "Sorry, I forgot. Ben and I'll be on the dance floor if you need us, okay?"

I nodded. "I'll find you if I'm bored." She left to join Ben on the dance floor, and I made my over to where the punch was. As I filled a cup and took a sip I came to the conclusion that someone (probably Tyler) had already spiked it, and I grimaced as the bitter taste of the alcohol slid down my throat. I took another sip just to keep myself busy, and looked out over the dance floor. I saw a few teachers standing around chaperoning; presumably to make sure no one spiked the drink or did their own version of dirty dancing. They were failing so far. Lauren and Jessica had come back, and Lauren and Tyler were doing something that looked like dry humping on the dance floor. It wasn't pretty, I'll tell you that, and I sniggered when Mr Banner approached them to break it up.

As I looked around the room, a flash of deep copper caught my eye in one of the lights. I realized quickly that it was Edward, and my whole body turned towards him. It seemed Alice had been lying to me. I couldn't be angry with her though, not when it meant I could talk to Edward. Taking a deep breath I put down my cup and started to move towards him. Right now the only thing on my mind was talking to him; I couldn't care less that he was a teacher and I was a student.

We were Edward and Bella, and I was going to make sure we solved this, even if I had to beat it into his brain.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Thank you all for reviewing the last chapter - I'm overwhelmed by all the support. This chapter is almost 1000 words longer than my usual chapters, but I doubt that anyone is complaining about that ;) This was supposed to be the last chapter, but the characters got wordy, so you get another looong chapter after this, and then an epilogue. I hope you'll like this little monster :)**

**Also, I have a new story up called Summer, Kind of Wonderful and I'd love it if you'd pop by and take a look at it :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

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****The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 32**

I was about halfway to him when Mike stepped into my way. I inwardly groaned; I didn't want to deal with him at the moment. He looked me over, and it made me feel dirty.

"Bella, wow. You look really pretty," Mike stuttered.

I offered him a closed lip smile. "Thank you Mike."

"I thought you were hanging out with Alice tonight?" His tone was slightly accusing, like I had been lying to him when I turned down his offer to take me to prom.

"I thought so too, but she wanted me to come. And what Alice wants, Alice gets."

"I'm glad you came. Would you like to dance?"

"Later, okay? I just want to mingle for a while."

"I'll be holding you to that." He gave what I think was supposed to be a flirty grin, but he sort of looked like he was having digestive problems, and then he walked past me towards the refreshment table.

Taking a deep breath I continued walking towards Edward. As I came closer I could almost hear my heartbeat over the loud music. Edward had noticed me by now and looked nervous. He had a right to be. I could feel his eyes rake over my body as I stopped in front of him, but it made me feel the opposite it had when Mike looked at me. When Edward looked at me I felt beautiful.

"Bella, you look...devastatingly beautiful. Actually, that word doesn't do you justice, but my vocabulary is failing me at the moment."

I managed to give him a small smile. "Thank you. We need to talk." My voice sounded more confident than I was feeling, but I could still hear a slight tremor when I spoke.

"Yes we do," Edward responded, his voice sounding sort of like mine; full of nerves, but with an underlying confidence. "Meet me in the music room in fifteen minutes?"

I nodded, recognizing that it would be too risky to talk here where anyone could overhear our conversation. When Edward went past me I felt him touch his fingers against mine, and it made me gasp. As to not look suspicious I went to join Angela and Ben at the dance floor. I only danced with them for one song, my feet were starting to hurt and I wanted to be able to stand up the entire evening.

I anxiously looked at the clock; twelve minutes had passed since Edward left. After pulling Angela aside and letting her know where I was going I left the gym, walking as fast as my high heels allowed me to. Luckily for me, the music room and gym were in the same building; so I didn't have to go outside. As I came nearer to the corridor where the music room, Edward's office, and a few practise rooms lay the sound of piano playing reached my ears.

The door to the music room was open and I could see Edward sitting by the piano, eyes closed, body swaying slightly as he played. I had a side few of him, and I couldn't help that my heart started to beat faster as I took in his intense expression. If he heard me coming, he didn't let it show as I closed and locked the door behind me. I walked closer to him as the song became more passionate in tone, and I paused when I was right behind him. I saw rather than heard him take a deep breath, and then the music changed back to the soft tone it'd had in the beginning of the piece. My hands trembled as I raised them and placed them on his shoulders. The music didn't falter, though I could feel how tense his body was.

The song came to an end, but Edward didn't move. Neither one of us said a single word; the only sounds were the faint noises of the music from the gym and our breathing. Slowly, and with my heart in my throat, I let my hands glide down to his chest. I could feel the warmth from his body, the steady rise and fall as he breathed. I stifled a gasp by biting my lower lip when I felt his warm hand clasp my left one in his grasp, his thumb caressing the inside of my wrist gently. I felt him raise our hands, and then his soft lips met my palm. I almost burst in tears at the loving gesture.

A small whimper left my mouth and within the second Edward spun around on the bench, coming to face me. When his eyes met mine, everything fell away. What happened in the past didn't matter in this moment; all that mattered what him and me. My body surged forwards on its own accord as he stood up, our bodies coming together and our arms embracing each other. Mine went around his neck, my fingers lacing together in his hair. I held on tightly, burying my head in the nape of his neck and trying not to cry. Edward held me equally as tight, his fingers bunching the fabric of my dress at my waist. I felt his heavy breathing on my neck and collarbone and then the faint traces of his lips as he spoke.

"I can't find the words to apologize to you. 'I'm sorry' doesn't seem nearly enough for what I've put you through."

I tried to speak, tried to tell him that it was okay, but the words wouldn't leave my mouth. Instead I clutched him tighter and tried not to cry.

"Please tell me I haven't lost my chance with you; tell me that I'm not too late." Edward sounded close to tears, and when I raised my head from his neck I was confirmed in my suspicious; his eyes were glassy.

Even though there was no doubt in my answer, I still couldn't get the words out. Instead I shook my head, and watched as Edward's face fell. I frowned; why was he upset? Then I realized that my answer could be interpreted wrong, and I removed my hands from his hair to instead cup his face, running my thumbs up and down his cheekbones. I was filled with nostalgia, touching his face like this.

"No, you're not too late. But everything's not forgiven." The hope vanished from his eyes as soon as it had come and his grip on me slackened slightly.

"I realize that. I know that I have to earn your forgiveness, and your trust." He looked heartbroken again, and despite all he had put me through I could feel my resolve slipping.

My hands slipped down to his chest, and I bowed my head. "I want to trust you Edward, but I can't."

I felt his warm fingers underneath my chin, raising my head so that he could meet my eyes. "Tell me what to do. I'll do **anything** Bella, just tell me what."

That was the snag though; what **could** he do? Grovel? Tell me every day how sorry he was? "I don't know," I finally admitted. "I think we just," I swallowed hard, "need to take things slow."

He let out a visible sigh of relief. "Of course. Can I…no, never mind," he averted his eyes to the side.

"What?"

Edward reached up and ran a hand through his hair, which made me smile. Then he covered my hand on his chest with his own. He was nervous; his hand was a bit clammy. "Can I kiss you? God, I need to kiss you."

Screw taking it slow. Right now, I needed him to kiss me. "Then kiss me,"

It was slowly that he inched his head towards mine. I could see the tiny gold flecks in his green eyes, the small smattering of freckles on his nose. His breath hit my face, and then his lips met my own. It was a soft kiss by all standards, and a sigh left my mouth at the familiarity of it. His lips molded against mine as he took my top lip between his own, sucking on it gently. Then he switched to my bottom lip, and a sound of protest built up in my throat. I needed to kiss him properly. I could feel him smiling against my lips, and then finally he kissed me fully. I pressed my body closer to his, my eyes fluttering closed. I opened my mouth, inhaling his scent before lightly letting the tip of my tongue meet his. He groaned, deepening the kiss and sliding his hands down to my waist. I didn't want to part from him but I was starting to have trouble breathing. You'd think after all the kissing we'd done since Christmas I'd learned by now to breathe through my nose. Well, I hadn't, and I could feel my lungs burning with the lack of oxygen. Regrettably, I pulled back, but I didn't go far, leaning my forehead against his and taking some much needed breaths.

"I love you so much," I whispered, my voice breaking at the end of the sentence.

"I love you too, more than I can ever express."

Things were getting too intense, and I pulled away with a small chuckle. "Well, didn't this turn into a soap opera."

Edward grinned crookedly, my favourite smile. "Do you want to go back out there with the others?"

I shook my head, "No, I want to stay here with you."

He chuckled and leaned in to give me a quick kiss. "We can't hide in here for the entire evening, someone's bound to come looking for either of us."

"Can't we go back to your house?" I could see the hesitation on his face, but I couldn't understand why. Didn't he want to spend time with me? The insecurities came creeping back up again, and I tried to force them down.

"Are you sure? I don't want to pressure you."

Relief flooded through my body at his words, and I nodded. "I'm sure. Let me just let Angela know I'm leaving. I should also call Alice. Meet me in the parking lot in ten minutes?"

"Ten minutes," Edward confirmed and I couldn't resist leaning in to kiss him again. What was supposed to be a quick kiss turned into a mini make out session, and we were both breathless and flustered when we pulled apart. "You go out first; I'll follow you in a few minutes."

I squeezed his hand and left the music room. I went into the locker room first to get my cell phone and call Alice. I saw a few girls standing and touching up on their make up in front of the mirrors, and hesitated for a second if I should talk to her in here. I fished up my phone from my jacket before hanging it over my arm and leaving the locker room. I dialed Alice's number, and she picked up after just two rings.

"Bella? Is everything okay? Do you need me to kill him?"

I chuckled. "Calm down Alice, everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home tonight."

"I told you everything would work out!" I heard her sigh wistfully, and suppressed a laugh.

"Yes you did. Thank you Alice, I really owe you. I'll see you tomorrow?"

She giggled. "Have fun tonight. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Bye!"

"Bye," I mumbled, and then hung up. Her words made me think. Was Edward expecting me to sleep with him tonight? I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet. I just hoped he understood. Putting back my phone in my jacket, I went into the gym to find Angela. She was dancing with Ben to a slow song, and I hated to interrupt, but I had to let her know I was leaving. Since there was a lot of people who could overhear our conversation I didn't offer her any information, just told her that Edward was giving me a ride home.

I passed Jessica and Lauren on my way out, but paid them no mind. I had more important things to focus on. It was pitch black outside, and I looked around for Edward. I finally spotted him leaning against his Volvo with his hands in his pants pockets, and I walked with fast steps towards him. It wasn't raining for once, but it had been in the hours I'd been inside the gym. I tried best as I could to evade walking in the puddles with my high heels, and I also picked up the skirt of my dress, not wanting to risk it getting wet.

Edward pushed himself off the car and opened the car door for me, a smile on his face the entire time. He waited until I was safely inside and had arranged my dress before closing the door. I buckled my seatbelt as he got in the car and started it. The familiar rumble of the engine greeted me, and I was pulled back to when I was inside his car the last time. The radio turned on, and the soft sounds of classical piano reached my ears.

"This is the same piece you played in the music room, isn't it?"

Edward nodded, turning out from the parking lot. "It's by Chopin; one of my favourite pieces by him."

"What's it called?"

His hand left the gear stick and instead grasped mine, placing our joined hands on his thigh. I tried so hard not to think of how hard and warm his leg felt under our hands, but I failed. "Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1. It was composed in 1837."

"It's beautiful." It truly was; a tranquil, romantic piece that reminded me of warm summer nights and lazy days in bed.

"It makes me think of you." His eyes were still on the road, but I could hear the emotion and sincerity in his voice. I didn't know what to answer, so I just squeezed his hand a little tighter.

The porch light was on when we pulled up in Edward's driveway, and it made me feel like I was home. Edward turned off the car and went around quickly, opening my car door like he always did. I accepted his outstretched hand and let him lead me into the house. I toed off my shoes in the mudroom, a chill going through my body as my feet made contact with the cold tile floor.

"Do you want to borrow something to sleep in?" Edward asked as I hung up my jacket, and I turned my head to look at him.

"Yeah, thanks." I followed him into the bedroom, where I was reminded of the last time I was here, just a few days ago. He walked over to his dresser and took out a blue t-shirt and a pair of boxers before handing them to me.

"I'll be right back."

He left the bedroom, no doubt to give me some privacy while I was changing. The dress unzipped at the side, and I peeled it off carefully before hanging it over the back of the chair next to his bed. Then I pulled on the boxers, which I had to roll up the waist a couple of times so that they wouldn't fall of. I hesitated before I put on the shirt, debating if I should take off my bra or not. Sleeping in a bra **was** one of the most uncomfortable things ever, and it wasn't like Edward hadn't seen it all before. I put on the t-shirt and then struggled out of my bra, putting it on the chair where my dress hung. Next, I unhooked the earrings Esme had given me and put them on the dresser; I didn't want to sleep with them and risk losing them. I raised my hands into my hair, trying to locate the small bobby pins Alice had stuck in there to keep my hair up. I was started to get frustrated because I couldn't find them when I felt Edward's hands cover my own, stilling them.

"Let me."

I dropped my hands and wrapped them around my midsection as I felt Edward's fingers in my hair. My eyes fluttered closed, and if I'd been a cat I would be purring by now. He was gentle as he located the bobby pins, pulled them out and put them on the dresser. My knees started to get weak, and I prayed he didn't notice. Soon all the bobby pins lay on the dresser and Edward ran his fingers through my hair, his nails scraping my scalp gently. I leaned my head back into his hands and felt shivers go up my spine from his touch.

"There; all done." His voice sounded a bit winded and when I turned around I saw that he, too, had changed into sleep clothes. I nearly fainted when I took in his bare chest; my eyes trailing down to the waistband of his sleep pants. I could feel myself blushing, and I quickly looked up to his face again. Edward looked stunningly beautiful whatever he wore, but I preferred him like this; it felt so homely.

Silently I took his hand in mine and lead him towards the bed. Even though nothing would happen I felt nervous, and my hands shook as I pulled back the cover and climbed in. Edward took the other side of the bed, and as soon as he had lain down, he reached for me and pulled me into his chest. I wrapped my right arm around his middle and rested my left one on his chest, over his heart. It was beating fast, just like mine was, and it seemed I wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"I was here, a few days ago," I said after a few minutes of silence. Why I offered this information, I don't know.

Edward frowned. "Here as in my house?"

I nodded. "After I ran in to you at school. When I was leaving, I ended up here instead of going home."

"I remember that when I came home, I thought I'd gone insane, because I could smell you." He admitted, one corner of his mouth curling slightly upwards.

"You weren't insane."

He tightened his grip around my waist, drawing me nearer to him. "I'm sorry you didn't get to stay at prom longer. You'll miss who is made king and queen."

"It doesn't matter," I answered truthfully. "I'm with you, that is exactly where I want to be." I leaned up and kissed him, a long and languid kiss that made my toes curl. Edward's hand slid down to my thigh, hiking my leg up around his hip and a low moan left my mouth. I raised the hand that lay around his waist to his hair, digging my fingers into the tresses and using my grip to hold his mouth to mine. The hand that was resting on my thigh started to glide up, underneath the boxers, to cup my ass. I pushed my hips into his, and he groaned. I don't know why, but the sound seemed to break me out of my Edward-induced high, and I realized that I was really close to sleeping with him. I knew I wasn't ready for that, and I needed to stop this soon.

"Edward, stop," I panted as his mouth slid down to my neck. I pushed at his chest, and this caused him to stop. His hand slid out of my boxers and instead settled closer to my knee. He looked puzzled at me. "This isn't taking it slow."

He grinned crookedly. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

I chuckled and snuggled in closer to him. I tried to stifle the huge yawn I felt coming on to my face, but I failed.

"You tired?"

I nodded. "It's been a long and eventful day." My eyes were starting to drop, and I slid my hand from his hair to rest between us. "Sleep?"

Edward nodded and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you in the morning. I love you,"

"I love you too," I mumbled and closed my eyes. Edward started to hum my song, and combination of his voice and the rumble from his chest lulled me to sleep.

**Like it? Loathe it? Love it? Let me know.**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: I am SO sorry about the time it has taken me to give you this chapter, but my life has been pretty crazy since my last update. I actually have a job; and being that I work from 7 to 4 I have little time when I come hom to actually write. I find that most days I barely have time to read the updates on fics I'm reading before it's time to go to bed again. Also, I've been having the worst writer's block ever, mostly due to some less than friendly comments I've gotten on this story on another site where this is posted. I hope you can all forgive me. The next chapter will be up as soon as I have time, but I'm hoping and praying it won't take as long as this chapter. Okay, now I'm done talking.**

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own anything, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer. **

* * *

**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 33**

When I woke up I was warm, and I felt something feather light on my back. I opened my eyes and noticed that Edward was looking at me. His fingers were stroking up and down my back underneath my t-shirt, and I felt goose bumps break out all over my back. His touch had always had that effect on me, and I was happy it hadn't gone away.

"Good morning," I breathed, and I couldn't help the smile that rose on my face.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

I nodded and stretched my legs out. "Best sleep I've had in months."

A sleepy grin came on to his face. "Same here. My bed has been empty and cold without you."

His words struck something in me, and I all but pounced on him. My normal qualms about morning breath didn't faze me as I pressed my lips hard against his, forcing his mouth open and letting my tongue meet his. He didn't protest when I pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, my knees on either side of his hips. I ran my hands down his chest, nails lightly scraping the skin, and it made him buck his hips up against me. His hands settled on my ass, pushing me down and into his erection. I tore my mouth from his and moaned before moving my lips down his neck.

"Bella," he panted, "this isn't slow."

I sat up. "Screw slow. I need you." Then I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor. It took only a nanosecond for Edward to sit up and attach his lips to my left nipple. I cried out and arched my back, raising my arms to hold him to my chest. His fingers found my other nipple and started to manipulate it into a hard peak. I pushed my pelvis against his, the angle hitting my clit with every stroke. "Enough foreplay," I panted.

At my voice, he leaned back and pulled me down on to him before quickly rolling us over. His lips met mine once again and I raised my knees, angling my feet to pull down his pants. They didn't go far since we were so mashed together, and Edward pulled away quickly remove his pants and throw them on the floor. His eyes were wild as he gripped my boxers and panties and pulled them down and off, flinging them to the side. I was all but dripping for him and my entire body was humming with anticipation.

"I need to taste you, it's been too long," Edward mumbled as he lay down between my open legs, wrapping his left arm around my hips to keep me in place. Then he descended, sucking my clit into his mouth and at the same time pushing two of his long fingers into my slit. I groaned, my hips flying up in his face.

"Fuuuuuck!"

He started to pump his fingers, curling them to hit that spot inside of me that made my legs tremble. I fisted my hands into the sheets, trying to stay somewhat grounded. Edward added a third finger and pumped them harder. I could feel myself starting to come, and words spilled from my mouth in all my incoherence. Then he started to flick my clit with his tongue, and I gave a loud shout as I came harder than I ever had.

Legs still trembling and only half conscious I practically melted into the mattress. Edward pulled his fingers out and then crawled up the length of my body until his hips were flush against mine and we were face to face. I felt his cock run up and down my slit, and I moaned when he nudged against my over sensitive clit.

"Are you still on the pill?" Edward's voice was strained, and he was shaking slightly.

"Yes," I breathed and pushed my fingers into his hair, using it as leverage to pull his head down so I could reach his mouth. I could taste myself on his lips, and it only turned me on more. He shifted his hips, and then I could feel him at my entrance. We both groaned when he pushed in, inch by inch until he was fully sheathed inside me.

Edward buried his face in my neck and a throaty groan left his mouth when he started to move. I pushed my hips up to meet his, raising my legs and locking my ankles around him. This caused him to slide in deeper, and I moaned. Every thrust of his hips brought another wave of pleasure as he hit my g-spot. Somehow, I managed to roll us over so that I once again was on top, and I sat up fully. I braced my hands against his chest and started to move up and down. Edward threw his head back, the tendons in his neck standing out. He was so damn beautiful. I arched my back further and started to move faster. I began adding to each stroke by hesitating on each down stroke and swiveling my hips to rub my clit against his pubic bone. Edward seemed to appreciate this as well to judge by the groans coming from the back of his throat.

I could feel myself building towards an orgasm slowly, but it was still a ways off. Suddenly Edward, who'd had his legs straight, brought his knees up and pulled me down on his chest, taking over the thrusting. Lying on his chest changed the angle of entry, and I loved the new feelings that pulsed through my pussy and into my clit. I could feel my orgasm coming closer, and I began thrusting back into each of his strokes. Without warning I came hard, my entire body trembling and shaking. I collapsed against Edward's chest, trying to catch my breath. Edward's body was shaking beneath mine, and I could tell he was close to coming.

I leaned up to take his earlobe into my mouth. "Come for me." Then I lowered my face to his neck and started to suck and nibble on his skin. His hips started to lose their rhythm, and when I bit down on his neck, he came with a guttural moan. I pushed my sweaty hair off my neck and looked up at him. His green eyes were half closed, and he was the very picture of relaxation.

"I should have learned by now that 'slow' is a word that doesn't exist when it comes to us," I smiled, popping my head up on my hand.

Edward chuckled and raised his hand from my waist to stroke my cheek. "It does seem like that. I love you, you know that right?"

I nodded. "I know. I love you too." I raised my hips and felt him slide out of me, shortly followed by our combined releases running down my inner thighs. "We should get up and shower though; I'm feeling not so fresh at the moment."

Edward laughed, but lifted me off him and stood up. I sat up; taking a moment to check out Edward's more than delectable behind before I followed him to the bathroom. Our joint shower took longer than it should have because we were incapable of keeping our hands off each other.

"You don't happen to have anything I could wear, do you?" I asked when we came out of the shower and I realized I had nothing to wear except my prom dress.

"I think I can find something," Edward teased as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a grey button down shirt.

"I sure hope so," I replied while dropping my towel to the floor and going for a search of my missing panties. I finally found them tangled with Edward's boxers near the bed, and I pulled them on before reaching for my bra. "I'd hate to have to do the walk of shame wearing a prom dress. It's so cliche."

Edward chuckled as he bent down over the open dresser. "Try these on," he handed me a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved t-shirt, both which I accepted gladly. The pants, much like the boxers I'd worn last night, were too big both in the waist and legs and I rolled both hemlines a couple times. The shirt smelled like Edward, like cinnamon, honey and something I couldn't quite figure out. I rolled the sleeves up several times and then I swept my wet hair back from my face.

After a quick breakfast consisting of toast and coffee, we decided to head back to my house. I eyes my navy pumps with dismay. "You don't happen to have a pair of size 8 women's shoes lying around here somewhere too do you?"

"Sorry, no can do."

"Aw well, I just have to wear my heels then," I huffed. My toes actually hurt when I put the shoes on, and I was glad I didn't have to walk far.

When we came outside, I was glad to see that it still wasn't raining, and dare I say that I actually saw a break in the constant cover of dark clouds. Maybe we'd get some sun later today. After Edward had unlocked the car, I carefully put my dress in the backseat before climbing in on the passenger side.

"Do you have everything worked out for this fall?" Edward said as he pulled out of his driveway.

"What do you mean?" I questioned, toeing off my shoes and sighing in relief as I stretched out my toes.

"With the dorms and such, I mean."

I cleared my throat and looked down at my hands, which were toying with the hem of Edward's shirt. "I won't be living in a dorm; I'm going to live with Alice. It works out better for both of us, and I wasn't exactly looking forwards living in a dorm."

Edward let go of the steering wheel with one hand and placed it on top of my hands, squeezing my fingers gently. We didn't talk much on the rest of the way, and it wasn't until we turned off the highway and onto the long driveway that I started to get nervous.

I took out my dress out of the car and started to walk towards the door before I lost my nerve. Edward trailed along behind me, and just his mere presence helped with my nerves. I had barely taken two steps inside the door when Alice jumped out from the living-room and threw herself in my arms.

"I'm so happy you worked it all out!"

I hugged her back fiercely before pulling back to look at her. "Thank you, Alice. For everything."

"It's no big deal. You're my best friend; I want you to be happy. Edward makes you happy. It wasn't exactly rocket science," she smiled.

Esme came downstairs, and even though she wasn't smiling, I could see the joy in her eyes. "Bella, Edward can you come into the living-room? Carlisle and I need to talk to you."

I nodded. "Sure." Esme gave me a reassuring smile, and then went back into the living-room. So this was it, the big talk. Even though Carlisle had given us his consent, I had no idea how he would react to seeing us together, or what he had to say. It hadn't taken me long to forgive him for what he'd done; I loved him like my own father, but I was curious as to what his motives were.

Alice took the dress from my arms, pulling me from my thoughts. "I'm gonna go wait upstairs." She was gone within seconds, and Edward and I were left alone in the hallway.

I felt him slide his hand into mine, squeezing it tightly. I looked up at him, and my nervousness disappeared. We were together again, that was all that mattered.

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******Like it? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know.**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait, but as with the previous chapter I've had a hard time putting down my thoughts to paper and I haven't had the time or energy necessary for writing.

I'm a bit sad to announce that this is the last chapter of The Air I Breathe. When I first started this story over a year ago I had no idea it would be perceived so well, and I'm blown away by all the kind reviews. At the moment I don't really have a story in the making, just fragments of ideas floating around in my head, and not all of them are Twilight stories, so it's a huge possibility that it's going to take a while for me to post anything new. Again, thank you so much to everybody who has read/reviewed/added to favourites.

Peace and love,

Morbidmuch

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**The Air I Breathe**

**Chapter 34**

"That went well," Edward mused, sitting down on my bed.

"Surprisingly well," I agreed, shutting the door behind me and leaning my back against it. Carlisle's story had most definitely explained his behaviour towards our relationship, and I sort of fell sorry for him. "Did you know all that about his mother?"

Edward shook his head. "No, I only knew that she died when he was young."

I thought back to just over an hour ago, when Edward and I joined Esme and Carlisle in the living room for what I had prepared myself to be a very uncomfortable conversation. And it was, at least partially.

"_The first thing I'd like to say is that I'm sorry for how I intervened in your relationship, and the part I had in your break up," Carlisle said as Edward and I had situated us on the couch opposite from where he and Esme was sitting. He was leaning forward, his forearms resting on his knees, and it was with a startling realization that I noticed how haggard and worn out he looked. Maybe this whole ordeal had taken more of a toll on him than I'd realized before. "I was out of line, and it wasn't my place to judge your relationship. I hope you can forgive me." _

"_I already have, Carlisle," I said. "I don't understand why you did it, but I forgive you." _

"_I don't." It was Edward who had spoken. I looked at him, surprised. Carlisle had been a father to him since he was 14, but he still couldn't find it in him to forgive him? "You had no right to meddle into our relationship like that, we're both consensual adults. You also didn't have any right to say those things to me, knowing what my apprehensions about our relationship were. I trusted you with my life Carlisle, and you broke that trust." _

_Carlisle swallowed tightly, and Esme laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Edward, you're being unreasonable," she said softly, her eyes pleading with him. _

"_No, I'm not!" Edward fired back, and I could feel the hand that was on my thigh tense up. "Because of his meddling into business that didn't concern him, both Bella and I spent three months in agony. And for what reason?" His eyes shifted to Carlisle. "That you didn't trust that we knew what we were doing? That you didn't trust me not to break her heart? What the fuck gave you the right to decide over our relationship?" I covered his hand with my own, silently comforting and calming him down. _

_Carlisle sighed. "When I was eight years old, my mother killed herself." _

_I gasped, and a tightening feeling in my stomach made it hard to breathe. His mother had killed herself. Just like Renée had. _

"_It was on a Saturday, and I was at a friend's house when my father came to pick me up earlier than he was supposed to. He said I was going to stay with my grandparents for a little while, but didn't say why. I was confused to say the least. I stayed with my grandparents for little over two weeks, and my father came to visit a few times. One of the times he told me that my mother had gone to Jesus in heaven, and wouldn't be coming home again." _

_I didn't realize I was shaking until Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his body, kissing the top of my head lovingly. "I'm sorry about that Carlisle, but what does it have to do with my and Bella's relationship?" _

_Carlisle sighed again and took a deep breath before speaking, his eyes on the magazine that lay on the coffee table. "My parents met when my mother was started high school. My father was more than ten years her senior, and worked as a janitor at her school. When she was a junior they started to date, and they got married the week after she finished high school. My maternal grandparents disowned her for marrying so young, and to a man so much older than her. You see, my mother was very hardworking; she had straight A's, did a lot of extra curricular activities, and was all in all a very smart young woman. She was going to attend Harvard after high school, but she never got a chance to go. That summer she married my father she became pregnant with me, and so her dreams of Harvard were crushed. She was now an eighteen year old mother to be with no family other than her husband, she had no job and all her friends abandoned her. She became depressed, and my father had to take care of me when I was little because she would only sleep all day. I don't remember it all very clearly because I was so young, but I remember that I used to make her drawings, trying to cheer her up. Needless to say it didn't work, and she only slipped more into her depression. One day it was too much for her to handle, and she hung herself." He looked up and met my eyes. "Do you understand now why I reacted like I did? I blew over the top, I admit that, but when I saw you together all I could think about was my mother, who never got to experience things a woman her age should because of the choices she made."_

_We were silent, and Edward's body was tense next to mine. "You think I would do that to her?" His voice was shaking with rage, and I felt so utterly helpless because I didn't know if I could calm him down. I didn't want him to fly off the handle and say something he'd regret later. "You actually think that I would hurt her like that?" _

"_That's not what I meant, Edward. I have no doubt in my mind that you love her very much, and that Bella feels the same way about you. I just want you both to be cautious about the choices you make. You have a whole lifetime of being together, don't rush into things you aren't ready for. I'm simply asking you to be careful." _

_My face turned the shade of a tomato when I realized what he was implying, and I averted my eyes to my lap, where my and Edward's hand still lay entwined. _

"_Off course," Edward answered, and his voice sounded much calmer now. _

"_We need to decide what will happen now," Esme spoke up, and I raised my eyes to look at her._

"_What do you mean?" A panic started to rise up within me, that they wouldn't allow Edward and I to be together after all. I didn't know what I'd do without Edward, he was my everything. _

"_Honey, while we are not stopping you and Edward from being in a relationship, we need to set up some rules, mostly for your own protection. Despite that you're eighteen, Edward is still a teacher. He could lose his job if your relationship was made public." _

"_What should we do?" Edward asked, but he was looking at Carlisle, not Esme. _

"_I think the best cause of action is to keep things under wrap for a while, at least until Bella graduate. Then you can over the summer slowly make your relationship known. I think the best approach is to pretend you're just starting to date, in which case no one can say anything about Edward being a teacher and Bella a former student. I take it no one outside this house knows about your relationship?" _

"_Alice knows, of course. Jasper knows, and Angela." I said, and Carlisle nodded. _

"_Good, that's good." He hesitated, and I could see he wanted to say something more, but probably didn't know how to. _

"_Is that all?" _

"_There's one more thing," he quickly looked at Esme before averting his eyes back to me. "Until you can make your relationship public, I think it's unwise for you to spend time at Edward's house other than a few hours at the most. Neighbors talk, and there's only so much you can blame on help with homework or hanging out as step siblings."_

"_I agree," Edward said. "I've seen Mrs. Crowley around looking too nosy for her own good. We're lucky we didn't get caught driving over here." _

"_So we'll hang out here instead?" _

"_It will be more inconspicuous for a number of reasons, the main one being that Carlisle and I will be here," Esme said, smiling gently at me. "Also, that we don't have any neighbors is a great benefit." _

"_So we keep it a secret for another month, and then start coming clean? It's not like we haven't kept it a secret up until now, another month isn't really going to change anything." _

"_I'm so glad we solved all this," Esme said, her smile radiating happiness and joy. "I'm going to go start preparing lunch, I'll call you down when it's finished." _

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and looked over at Edward, who had lain down with his legs hanging off the edge of the bed. I couldn't help the smile that broke out on my face, and I quietly walked up to him. He didn't appear to have heard me coming, so I let out a yelp of surprise when he sat up and pulled me down onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my face against his neck.

After promising she'd be back for my graduation Alice had left, saying she needed to get on the road soon so she wouldn't arrive in Seattle too late. I hugged her tightly and again thanked her for what she done for me and Edward this weekend. Alice's parting words to Edward were threatening, but the way she said it wasn't serious. Edward's response was that he'd never hurt me again, and if he did he'd gladly let her inflict all sorts of pain on him.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You," I answered. "Us." I raised my head to look at him. "That we only have to hide for another week. It's going to feel strange when we can be open about our relationship."

Edward nodded. "I agree. I've become so used to the hiding and sneaking around; it's going to be a big change. But a good change. I want to be able to shout out to the entire world that I love you. That you love me."

I smiled and kissed him softly, feeling his fingers grip my waist a bit tighter. "I love you," I whispered as I pulled away, leaning my forehead against his.

"I love you too," Edward responded, and my heart did the somersaults it always did when he said those words.

I graduated two weeks later, sitting in the gym with the ugly mustard yellow robes on and listening to Angela give her valedictorian speech. I got teary eyed when she spoke of the memories of high school, and clapped the loudest when she was done. It was a fairly quiet affair back at the house after graduation; Only Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Edward were there. I didn't mind; they were my family and the only ones I cared about being there.

That summer was one of the best in my entire life because I got to spend it with Edward. In the middle of July, we spent two amazing weeks in New York, doing little else but make love and walk around Central Park. It was when we got back to Forks we let people know of our relationship, by not so discreetly kissing at the Thriftway where we knew that Mrs. Stanley, the biggest gossip in town, could see us. It wasn't easy holding in laughter when my phone started filling up with texts from Mike, Jessica, Lauren and Tyler only an hour later, all wondering about me and Edward. Rumors started flying, but we told them what we agreed too: that we started dating after graduation but had liked each other for longer than that. It kept everybody satisfied, and they were none the wiser.

That fall I attended the University of Seattle, which was a lot different than high school. Edward and I took turns coming to see the other one on the weekends, and a system made by Alice made sure that when Edward was in the apartment, Alice spent the weekend at Jasper's place.

I felt like I was on top of the world, but not everything was a walk in the park. I was starting to get so busy with school work I couldn't see Edward as often as both of us would like, and it caused a strain in our relationship which I hadn't encountered before. We worked it out though before it got too serious, and soon our relationship was stronger than ever.

The night I graduated college Edward got down on one knee in front of all our family and friends and asked me to marry him. I choked out a yes between the tears and spent the rest of the evening glued to his side.

This brings me to now; standing on a beach in Hawaii with the sunset as our backdrop and with Edward in front of me. I hear Esme sniffling quietly behind us, and tears are gathering in my eyes as well. Edward is the very picture of calm, though his eyes look a little glossy as he says 'I do'. My voice breaks when I say the words back to him and the next thing I know I am being kissed, passionately and lovingly by my husband. Husband. Who would have thought that when we started out on this road over four years ago it would lead us here? I for sure didn't, but I'm glad it did.

I get to spend the rest of my life with my lover, my best friend, my soulmate. What more can a girl ask for?

**THE END**

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